Chapter 8: Problem 44
If \(29.7 \mathrm{~mL}\) of a \(0.205 \mathrm{M} \mathrm{KOH}\) solution is required to neutralize \(25.0 \mathrm{~mL}\) of \(\mathrm{a} \mathrm{HC}_{2} \mathrm{H}_{3} \mathrm{O}_{2}\) solution, what is the molarity of the acetic acid solution? \(\mathrm{HC}_{2} \mathrm{H}_{3} \mathrm{O}_{2}(a q)+\mathrm{KOH}(a q) \longrightarrow \mathrm{KC}_{2} \mathrm{H}_{3} \mathrm{O}_{2}(a q)+\mathrm{H}_{2} \mathrm{O}(l)\)
Short Answer
Step by step solution
Key Concepts
These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.
Neutralization Reaction
\[ \text{HC}_2 \text{H}_3 \text{O}_2 (\text{aq}) + \text{KOH} (\text{aq}) \rightarrow \text{KC}_2 \text{H}_3 \text{O}_2 (\text{aq}) + \text{H}_2 \text{O} (\text{l}) \]
Here, acetic acid (\(\text{HC}_2\text{H}_3\text{O}_2\)) is the acid, and potassium hydroxide (\(\text{KOH}\)) is the base. When they react, they form potassium acetate (\(\text{KC}_2\text{H}_3\text{O}_2\)) and water (\(\text{H}_2\text{O}\)). Understanding this balanced reaction helps in determining the relationship between the moles of reactants and products.
For every mole of acetic acid, one mole of potassium hydroxide is required to complete the reaction. Thus, the mole ratio between acetic acid and potassium hydroxide is always 1:1. This simplifies the calculations, as the moles of acid and base will be equal at neutralization. This foundational concept of neutralization reaction is crucial for solving problems related to acid-base titrations.
Mole Concept
Moles can be calculated using the formula: \( n = M \times V \)
where:
- \(n\) is the number of moles
- \(M\) is the molarity (moles per liter)
- \(V\) is the volume in liters
To find the moles of \(\text{KOH}\), we use:
\[ V_{\text{KOH}} = 29.7 \text{ mL} = 0.0297 \text{ L} \ n_{\text{KOH}} = 0.205 \text{ M} \times 0.0297 \text{ L} \ n_{\text{KOH}} = 0.00608985 \text{ moles} \]
Remember to always convert the volume to liters before calculating. The mole ratio from the balanced equation tells us that the moles of \(\text{HC}_2 \text{H}_3 \text{O}_2\) will be the same as the moles of \(\text{KOH}\):
\[ n_{\text{HC}_2 \text{H}_3 \text{O}_2} = 0.00608985 \text{ moles} \]
Understanding the mole concept allows you to bridge the relationship between mass, volume, and the quantity of substances involved in chemical reactions.
Molarity
The formula to calculate molarity is: \[ M = \frac{n}{V} \]
where:
- \(M\) is the molarity
- \(n\) is the number of moles
- \(V\) is the volume in liters
In this exercise, we need to find the molarity of acetic acid. We already have the moles of acetic acid (\(n \approx 0.00608985\text{ moles}\)) and the volume of the \(\text{HC}_2\text{H}_3\text{O}_2\) solution in liters:
\[ V_{\text{HC}_2 \text{H}_3 \text{O}_2} = 25.0 \text{ mL} = 0.0250 \text{ L} \]
Plugging these values into the molarity formula gives:
\[ M_{\text{HC}_2\text{H}_3\text{O}_2} = \frac{0.00608985 \text{ moles}}{0.0250 \text{ L}} \approx 0.2436 \text{ M} \]
This means the molarity of the acetic acid solution is \(0.2436\text{ M}\), which quantifies its concentration. Molarity is useful in determining how strong a solution is and in predicting how it will react with other substances.