Given that HSO4- is a stronger acid than HPO4^2-, what is the chemical reaction if solutions containing these ions are mixed together? (Hints: One of these must act as an acid and the other as a base. Use the Brønsted-Lowry definition)
Please explain how to get the answer. Thank you!
The hint is supposed to tell you what to do. Since HSO4^- is the stronger acid, it will be the donor and the other will be the acceptor.
HSO4^- + HPO4^2- ==>SO4^2- + H2PO4^-
To determine the chemical reaction when solutions containing HSO4- and HPO4^2- ions are mixed together, we need to understand the Brønsted-Lowry definition of acids and bases.
According to the Brønsted-Lowry theory, an acid is a substance that donates a proton (H+) and a base is a substance that accepts a proton. Based on the given information, HSO4- is a stronger acid compared to HPO4^2-. This implies that HSO4- is more likely to donate a proton than HPO4^2-.
When the solutions containing HSO4- and HPO4^2- ions are mixed together, the HSO4- ion will act as an acid by donating a proton, while the HPO4^2- ion will act as a base by accepting that proton. The resulting chemical reaction can be represented as follows:
HSO4- + HPO4^2- → H2PO4- + SO4^2-
In this reaction, the HSO4- ion donates a proton to the HPO4^2- ion, resulting in the formation of H2PO4- and SO4^2- ions.
So, when solutions containing HSO4- and HPO4^2- ions are mixed together, the HSO4- ion acts as an acid and donates a proton to the HPO4^2- ion, which acts as a base, forming H2PO4- and SO4^2- ions.
To determine the chemical reaction when solutions containing HSO4- and HPO4^2- ions are mixed together, we need to identify which of these ions can act as an acid and which can act as a base. The Brønsted-Lowry definition states that an acid is a substance that donates a proton (H+) and a base is a substance that accepts a proton (H+).
Given that HSO4- is a stronger acid than HPO4^2-, it means that HSO4- will donate its proton more readily than HPO4^2-. Therefore, in the reaction, HSO4- will act as the acid, while HPO4^2- will act as the base.
The balanced chemical reaction can be represented as follows:
HSO4- + HPO4^2- ⟶ SO4^2- + H2PO4-
In this reaction, HSO4- donates a proton (H+) to HPO4^2-, which accepts the proton to form H2PO4-. The leftover SO4^2- ion remains unchanged and is a spectator ion in this reaction.
To summarize, the chemical reaction when solutions containing HSO4- and HPO4^2- ions are mixed together is the transfer of a proton from the stronger acid HSO4- to the weaker base HPO4^2-.