Which of the following contains the highest H3O+ ion concentration? Explain your answer.
HCl 0.1 M
HCH3CO2 0.1 M
In order to determine which of the following solutions contains the highest H3O+ ion concentration, we need to understand the concept of acidity and the strength of acids.
Acids are substances that can donate protons (H+) in solution. The strength of an acid is determined by its tendency to donate protons. In an aqueous solution, the concentration of H3O+ ions is directly related to the acidity of the solution.
To compare the acidity of the given solutions, we need to look at the dissociation of the acids and the concentration of H3O+ ions produced when they dissolve in water.
Let's examine the dissociation of the two acids:
1. HCl: This is hydrochloric acid, a strong acid that completely dissociates in water. It can be represented by the equation: HCl → H+ + Cl-. Since HCl is a strong acid, it will produce a high concentration of H3O+ ions when it dissolves.
2. HCH3CO2: This is acetic acid, a weak acid. It can be represented by the equation: HCH3CO2 ⇌ H+ + CH3CO2-. Since acetic acid is a weak acid, it does not completely dissociate. Instead, it establishes an equilibrium between the undissociated acid and the dissociated ions. This means that the concentration of H3O+ ions produced will be lower compared to a strong acid.
Now, let's compare the two solutions:
1. HCl 0.1 M: This means that the concentration of HCl in the solution is 0.1 M. Since HCl is a strong acid, it will dissociate completely, resulting in a high concentration of H3O+ ions.
2. HCH3CO2 0.1 M: This means that the concentration of HCH3CO2 in the solution is 0.1 M. However, since acetic acid is a weak acid, it will not dissociate completely. Therefore, the concentration of H3O+ ions produced will be relatively lower compared to the HCl solution.
Based on this analysis, we can conclude that HCl 0.1 M solution contains the highest H3O+ ion concentration compared to HCH3CO2 0.1 M solution.
Is that HClO that is .1M or HCl with 0.1M?
I assume HCl. You know that is a stronger acid than CH3COOH because it has no Ka but CH3COOH does.