Chapter 16, Problem 16.106SP

Interpretation Introduction

Interpretation:

The value of $\text{pH}$ and the concentrations of ${\text{H}}_{\text{2}}{\text{SO}}_{\text{3}}{\text{,HSO}}_{\text{3}}{}^{\text{-}}{\text{,CO}}_{\text{3}}{}^{\text{-2}}{\text{,H}}_{\text{3}}{\text{O}}^{\text{+}}{\text{,OH}}^{\text{-}}$ of $\text{0}{\text{.020M H}}_{\text{2}}{\text{SO}}_{\text{3}}$ needs to be determined.

Concept introduction:

For a weak acid say HA, the dissociation reaction is represented as follows:

$\text{HA}\left(aq\right)\rightleftharpoons {\text{H}}^{+}\left(aq\right)+{\text{A}}^{-}\left(aq\right)$

The expression for acid dissociation constant can be represented as follows:

$K_a=\frac{\left[{\text{H}}^{+}\right]\left[{\text{A}}^{-}\right]}{\left[\text{HA}\right]}$

Here, $\left[{\text{H}}^{+}\right]$, $\left[{\text{A}}^{-}\right]$ and $\left[\text{HA}\right]$ are equilibrium concentrations of hydrogen ion, concentration of conjugate base of HA and concentration of weak acid HA respectively.