What is the most common chemical method for removing H_30^+ ions in aqueous solution? Write a net ionic equation which describes this method.
Add a base.
What happens to the H concentration when the OH concentration goes up?
We havn't started Acids/Bases yet in class, in fact, this question comes from an equilibrium lab.
I know that NaOH is a base, so if I added it, it would remove the H_30 ions? Would my net equation look something like this?:
H_30(aq) + NaOH(aq) --> Na_2O + H_40_2
Well, if you havent had acids and bases, forget it.
The point you will learn is that the product of the OH concentration and H3O ions is constant. So if you add OH ions, the H3O goes down.
In this case, you would get..
H_30(aq) + NaOH(aq) --> Na_2O + 2H_20 .
As a practical matter, this wont work, but you have not learned it yet.
In any water solution, the product of the H3O+ and the OH- concentration is constant. If the hydronium ion concentration is to go down, OH has to go up. I doubt if you have learned that yet.
One final question(s) about what you've just taught me and some stuff I've just looked up on the internet: If a solution contains hydronium then that is the definition of an acid? Therefore the only way to remove an acid is to add a base or to neutralise the two by having the ammount of H30=OH? If then OH > H30 does that mean that the H30 ions have been removed? Should I say you neutralise the solution to remove the ions or that you have more base than acid?
You are too far ahead of yourself. If the product of OH and H+ is always constant, then increasing OH reduces H+. I would avoid the term neutralization. If the product is constant, removing on H+ by a reaction, leaving OH consant, then the water will produce another H+ in its place. The product is constant. Pure Water is neutral, having H+ exactly equal to the OH. At 25C, the product of the ions is 1*10^-14 moles/liter, that is
conc H+ * Conc OH- = 1*10^-14 moles/liter,
This is constant of nature.
So, if you add a base, like NaOH, the H+ concentration will go down, and the OH- concentration will go up, but the product of the two will remain constant.
So, the net ionic equation for the reaction of H+ and NaOH is
H+ + NaOH --> Na+ + H2O
This is the most common chemical method for removing H+ ions in aqueous solution.
To summarize, in aqueous solution, the most common method to remove H3O+ ions is by adding a base. Adding a base increases the concentration of OH- ions, which then reacts with H3O+ ions to form water. The net ionic equation for this reaction is H3O+(aq) + OH-(aq) → 2H2O. However, it's important to note that this concept is typically covered in the context of acids and bases, which you mentioned you haven't covered in class yet. The idea that the product of H3O+ and OH- concentrations is constant, and that adding OH- reduces H3O+ concentration, will be taught in due time. The term "neutralization" is often used in the context of acid-base reactions, but it is best to wait until you have learned the topic properly before using it.
To answer your question about the definition of an acid and how to remove acid ions:
1. Yes, a solution containing hydronium ions (H3O+) is considered to be an acid. Acids are substances that release H+ ions in water.
2. The most common method to remove acid ions is by adding a base. Bases are substances that release OH- ions in water, and they can react with the H+ ions to form water molecules.
3. To achieve neutralization, the amounts of H3O+ and OH- ions need to be equal. When OH- ions are added in excess, the H3O+ ions will be removed because they will react with the OH- ions to form water. In this case, you can say that the H3O+ ions have been removed.
4. However, it's important to note that the product of the H3O+ and OH- concentrations is always constant in water. So, removing H3O+ ions by a reaction will cause more H3O+ ions to be produced by the water itself to maintain the constant product. This is a concept you will learn more about when you study acids and bases in detail.
In summary, adding a base to an acid solution will react with the H3O+ ions, removing them and resulting in the formation of water molecules. However, the constant product of H3O+ and OH- concentrations means that removing H3O+ ions by a reaction will cause more H3O+ ions to be produced to maintain equilibrium.