No Brain Too Small CHEMISTRY

Species in solution

Dont forget the water
(After all these are aqueous solutions.)
2H
2
O H
3
O
+
+ OH
-
or more simply H
2
O H
+
+ OH
-

This is called the self-ionisation of water AND K
w
= [H
+
] [OH
-
]
If the solution is neutral [H
+
] = [OH
-
]
If the solution is acidic [H
+
] > [OH
-
]
If the solution is basic/alkaline [H
+
] < [OH
-
]

Since [H
+
] [OH
-
] = 10
-14
if [H
+
] then the [OH
-
]
(so that [H
+
] x [OH
-
] = 10
-14
)

Since [H
+
] [OH
-
] = 10
-14
if [H
+
] then the [OH
-
]
(so that [H
+
] x [OH
-
] = 10
-14
)


Salts e.g. NaCl, KCl, MgCl
2
, MgSO
4
, CH
3
COONa
,
NH
4
Cl; these dissolve completely
in water and ionise completely

NaCl(s) + aq Na
+
(aq) + Cl
-
(aq)
Na
+
= Cl
-
> H
3
O
+
= OH
-

pH will be 7 (H
3
O
+
= OH
-
)
will be a good conductor of electricity / good electrolyte as lots of Na
+
& Cl
-



MgCl
2
(s) + aq Mg
2+
(aq) + 2Cl
-
(aq)
Cl
-
> Mg
2+
> H
3
O
+
= OH
-

pH will be 7 (H
3
O
+
= OH
-
)
will be a good conductor of electricity / good electrolyte


No Brain Too Small CHEMISTRY


NH
4
Cl(s) + aq NH
4
+
(aq) + Cl
-
(aq)
NH
4
+
(aq) + H
2
O(l) NH
3
(aq) + H
3
O
+
(aq)
Cl
-
> NH
4
+
> NH
3
= H
3
O
+
> OH
-
OR
Cl
-
NH
4
+
> NH
3
= H
3
O
+
> OH
-

pH will be less than 7 due to H
3
O
+
> OH
-

will be a good conductor of electricity / good electrolyte as lots of NH
4
+
& Cl
-


CH
3
COONa(s) + aq CH
3
COO
-
(aq) + Na
+
(aq)
CH
3
COO
-
(aq) + H
2
O(l) CH
3
COOH(aq) + OH
-
(aq)
Na
+
> CH
3
COO
-
> CH
3
COOH = OH
-
> H
3
O
+
OR
Na
+
CH
3
COO
-
> CH
3
COOH = OH
-
> H
3
O
+

pH will be more than 7 due to OH
-
> H
3
O
+

will be a good conductor of electricity / good electrolyte as lots of CH
3
COO
-

& Na
+



Strong acids e.g. HCl, HBr, HNO
3
, H
2
SO
4
; react fully with water / fully ionise

HCl(g) + H
2
O(l) H
3
O
+
(aq) + Cl
-
(aq)
H
3
O
+
= Cl
-
> OH
-

pH will be much much less than 7 (its a strong acid!!)
will be a good conductor of electricity / good electrolyte

H
2
SO
4
(l) + 2H
2
O(l) 2H
3
O
+
(aq) + SO
4
2-
(aq)
H
3
O
+
> SO
4
2-
> OH
-
(note: H
3
O
+
> SO
4
2-
since H
2
SO
4
)
pH will be much much less than 7 (its a strong acid!!)
will be a good conductor of electricity / good electrolyte




No Brain Too Small CHEMISTRY

Strong bases e.g. NaOH, KOH, Ca(OH)
2
; fully ionise / dissociate

NaOH(s) + aq Na
+
(aq) + OH
-
(aq)
Na
+
= OH
-
> H
3
O
+

pH will be much much more than 7 (its a strong base!!)
will be a good conductor of electricity / good electrolyte

Ca(OH)
2
(s) + aq Ca
2+
(aq) + 2OH
-
(aq)
OH
-
> Ca
2+
> H
3
O
+

pH will be much much more than 7 (its a strong base!!)
will be a good conductor of electricity / good electrolyte
Note: Ca(OH)
2
is only slightly soluble in water but will still be more basic and
a better conductor than a weak base.


Weak acids e.g. CH
3
COOH, HCOOH, HOBr, HF; incomplete reaction with water

CH
3
COOH(l) + H
2
O(l) H
3
O
+
(aq) + CH
3
COO
-
(aq)
CH
3
COOH > H
3
O
+
= CH
3
COO
-
> OH
-

pH will be less than 7 (its a weak acid!!)
will be a poor conductor of electricity / poor electrolyte


Weak bases e.g. NH
3
, CH
3
NH
2
; incomplete reaction with water

NH
3
(g) + H
2
O(l) NH
4
+
(aq) + OH
-
(aq)
NH
4
+
= OH
-
> H
3
O
+

pH will be more than 7 (its a weak base!!)
will be a poor conductor of electricity / poor electrolyte