A Solution Prepared with Propanoic Acid and Sodium Propanoate: Calculating pH

What is the pH of a solution prepared at 25∘C that contains 0.084M propanoic acid (HC2H5CO2) and 0.50M sodium propanoate (NaC2H5CO2) with a Ka value of 1.3×10^−5?

The pH of the buffer solution consisting of propanoic acid and sodium propanoate can be calculated using the Henderson-Hasselbalch equation. By inserting the given values into the equation, the pH is determined to be 5.665, indicating a slightly acidic buffer solution.

Calculating pH using Henderson-Hasselbalch Equation

Propanoic Acid (HC2H5CO2) Concentration: 0.084M
Sodium Propanoate (NaC2H5CO2) Concentration: 0.50M
pKa Value: 4.89 (calculated from Ka = 1.3 x 10^-5)
To calculate the pH of the solution containing propanoic acid and its conjugate base, sodium propanoate, we can use the Henderson-Hasselbalch equation:
Where [A-] is the concentration of the conjugate base and [HA] is the concentration of the acid. Given that the concentration of propanoic acid (HA) is 0.084M and the concentration of sodium propanoate (A-) is 0.50M, and the pKa is the negative logarithm of Ka (pKa = -log(Ka)), we can substitute the values into the equation:
Calculating log(5.952) gives us:
Therefore, the final pH of the solution is:
This value indicates the slightly acidic nature of the solution due to the presence of the weak acid propanoic acid and its conjugate base.

What is the initial pH of a solution prepared with propanoic acid and sodium propanoate using the ICE approach?

The initial pH of a solution prepared with propanoic acid and sodium propanoate is approximately 2.87 using the ICE approach.

Calculating Initial pH using ICE Approach

Propanoic Acid (HC2H5CO2) Concentration: 0.084M
Ka Value: 1.3 x 10^-5
To calculate the initial pH of the solution, we can use the ICE approach and the given values of the acid concentration and Ka:
[H3O+] = Ka × [CH3CO2H] = √(1.3 × 10^-5 × 0.084) = 2.87 × 10^-3 Therefore, the initial pH of the solution prepared with propanoic acid and sodium propanoate is approximately 2.87.