Chapter 18.4, Problem 18.9AFP

Interpretation Introduction

Interpretation:

The dissociation percentage has to be calculated for $\text{0}{\text{.75 M HCN (K}}_{\text{a}}\text{= 6}\text{.2}\times {\text{10}}^{-10}\text{)}$.

Concept introduction:

An equilibrium constant $\left(K\right)$ is the ratio of concentration of products and reactants raised to appropriate stoichiometric coefficient at equlibrium.

For the general acid HA,

  $\text{HA}\left(\text{aq}\right)+{\text{H}}_{\text{2}}\text{O}\left(\text{l}\right)\rightleftharpoons {\text{H}}_{\text{3}}{\text{O}}^{+}\left(\text{aq}\right)+{\text{A}}^{-}\left(\text{aq}\right)$

The relative strength of an acid and base in water can be also expressed quantitatively with an equilibrium constant as follows:

  $K_a=\frac{\left[{\text{H}}_{\text{3}}{\text{O}}^{+}\right]\left[{\text{A}}^{-}\right]}{\left[\text{HA}\right]}$                                                                                                   $\left(1\right)$

An equilibrium constant $\left(K\right)$ with subscript $a$ indicate that it is an equilibrium constant of an acid in water.

  $\begin{array}{l}{\text{Acid - dissociation constants can be expressed as pK}}_a\text{ values,}\\ {\text{pK}}_a{\text{ = -log K}}_a\text{ and}\\ {\text{10}}^{{\text{ - pK}}_a}{\text{ = K}}_{\text{a }}\end{array}$

Percent dissociation can be calculated by using following formula,

  $\text{Percent dissociated = }\frac{\text{dissociation}}{\text{initial}}\text{×100}$