me again
8. You are given two beakers, A and B, with colorless liquids in htem. What two tests would you perform to determine which one is a strong acid and which one is a weak acid? Be specific with the test and the results as well as how you would determiine which is which.
Don't you just stick PH paper and tell from there to tell which one is stronger acid???????
That seems to simple to me...
my teacher wrote in the answer key
"so many"
very helpful =_=
strong acid is one that is completely ionized. pH tells concentration, you are not looking for the one most concentrated. Which one will conduct electricity better, and why?
To determine which beaker contains a strong acid and which contains a weak acid, you can't solely rely on pH paper. pH paper can give you a rough estimate of the acidity level, but it doesn't provide a definitive answer.
Here are two tests you can perform to differentiate between the two:
1. Conductivity Test:
- Take a small amount of liquid from each beaker and place it in separate conductivity testers.
- A strong acid, when dissolved in water, ionizes completely, producing a high concentration of ions. Consequently, it will conduct electricity very effectively and show high conductivity. Therefore, if the solution in one of the beakers conducts electricity more strongly than the other, it suggests that the beaker contains a strong acid.
- A weak acid, on the other hand, only partially ionizes in water and produces fewer ions. Hence, it will have lower conductivity compared to a strong acid.
2. Reactive Test with a Base:
- Add a few drops of a known strong base, like sodium hydroxide (NaOH), to a small sample from each beaker.
- A strong acid will react vigorously with a strong base, resulting in a clear color change or the formation of a precipitate. This is due to the complete neutralization of the acid by the base, forming a salt and water.
- A weak acid, however, will have a less noticeable or slower reaction with the strong base. It may result in only slight color changes or the formation of a cloudy solution.
- Comparing the intensity of the reaction between the two beakers will help identify which one contains the strong acid.
After conducting both tests, you can compare the results and observations. If one beaker shows high conductivity and a strong reaction with the base, it is likely to contain the strong acid. The one with low conductivity and a weaker reaction with the base is likely to contain the weak acid.
Remember, these tests are just examples, and there are additional tests and techniques, such as pH titration or spectroscopy, that can provide more precise information about the acidity levels.