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posted by  Lucy8 on 10/7/2007 11:06:29 PM  |  status: Live  

Calculating percent ionization

Course Textbook Chapter Problem
General Chemistry Chemistry: The Central Science (10th) by Brown, Lemay, Bursten 17 2
Question Details:
How to solve percent ionizations?
Calculate the percent ionization of 0.0060 M butanoic acid (Ka = 1.5 10-5).
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posted by Sara2029 on 10/8/2007 10:05:25 AM  |  status: Live
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Lucy8's comment:
"thanks! that helped me alot. "
Response Details:
butanoic acid ionizes as below:
 
CH3CH2CH2COOH-----> CH3CH2CH2COO- + H+
 
thus the equilibrium expression of Ka is as follows:
 
Ka= [H+][CH3CH2CH2COO-] / [CH3CH2CH2COOH]= 1.5 X 10-5
 
since only a bit of the acid ionizes, we use x to denote how much has ionized...
based on the equation,
[CH3CH2CH2COOH] left at equilibrium= 0.006-x
[CH3CH2CH2COO-] formed at equilibrium= x
[H+] formed at equilibrium= x
 
thus the Ka expression becomes
 
Ka= (x)(x) / (0.006-x)= 1.5 X 10-5
solve for x..
u get x= 2.926 X 10-4
thus the percent ionization= (x / 0.006) X 100%
                                       = 4.88 %
 
hope it helps...
mail me if u dont get it..
 
 
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