Which of the following solutions is the most basic? (a) 0.6 M NH3, (b) 0.150 M KOH, (c) 0.100 M Ba(OH)2. Explain.

1. Write the equation with water and balanced.

2. Set up an ICE chart for each.
3. Substitute into the Kb expression for the weak bases and calculate OH^-, then compare.
Post your work if you get stuck.

To determine which solution is the most basic, we need to consider the pH or pOH values of the solutions. The higher the pH or the lower the pOH, the more basic the solution.

To find the pH or pOH values for each solution, we can use the concentration of hydroxide ions (OH-) present in each solution.

Solution (a) is 0.6 M NH3, which is ammonia. Ammonia is a weak base, but it does not directly produce hydroxide ions (OH-) in water. Instead, ammonia accepts a proton (H+) and forms ammonium ions (NH4+). Therefore, we cannot determine the basicity of this solution based on the concentration of OH- ions.

Solution (b) is 0.150 M KOH, which is potassium hydroxide. This compound directly dissociates in water, releasing hydroxide ions (OH-). Therefore, the concentration of OH- ions is equal to the concentration of KOH. In this case, the concentration of OH- ions is 0.150 M.

Solution (c) is 0.100 M Ba(OH)2, which is barium hydroxide. Similar to KOH, barium hydroxide also directly dissociates in water, producing hydroxide ions (OH-). So, the concentration of OH- ions is twice the concentration of Ba(OH)2, which makes it 0.200 M.

Comparing the concentrations of OH- ions in each solution, we find that Solution (c) has the highest concentration of OH- ions (0.200 M). Therefore, Solution (c) - 0.100 M Ba(OH)2 is the most basic solution among the given options.

In summary, to determine the basicity of the solutions, we examined the concentration of hydroxide ions (OH-) present. Solution (c) with 0.100 M Ba(OH)2 has the highest concentration of OH- ions (0.200 M), making it the most basic solution.