Acid-Base solutions and their effectiveness for deprotonation of NH4+

  • Thread starter ada0713
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In summary, the substances with the highest pH values would be most effective in deprotonating the ammonium ion.
  • #1
ada0713
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Consider the following solutions and their respective pH values. Which substance would be effective(K>1) for the deprotonation of NH4+ ?
0.1 M A, pH = 6.85
0.1 M B, pH = 7.22
0.1 M C, pH = 8.34
0.1 M D, pH = 11.88

1) A
2) B
3) C
4) D
5) none are effective

If the reaction to be effective
doesn't Strong acid have to react with strong base?
since NH4+ is strong acid, I thought it should react with the strongest
base among the four substances,
so i chose D, which has the highest pH value.

Is it right, or am I doing something wrong here?
 
Last edited:
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  • #2
oh.. NH4+ is not a strong acid..
how do I approach this problem then?

If K>1, net direction is right,
then shouldn't the reactants be stonger acid and stronger base?
 
Last edited:
  • #3
anyone?
 
  • #4
Dissociation of ammonium as an acid is weak; I would guess the choice D is the strongest base allowed for you and that would be most effective in deprotonating the ammonium ion. I say it is the strongest base there because all of your choices are 0.1 Molar; and D has the highest pH (therefore most alkaline).
 
  • #5
i thought NH4+ would be a strong acid. NH3 is a weak base, it's conjugate acid, NH4+ should then be strong.

but you still need the strongest base... therefore D
 
  • #6
ada0713 said:
Consider the following solutions and their respective pH values. Which substance would be effective(K>1) for the deprotonation of NH4+ ?
0.1 M A, pH = 6.85
0.1 M B, pH = 7.22
0.1 M C, pH = 8.34
0.1 M D, pH = 11.88

1) A
2) B
3) C
4) D
5) none are effective

If the reaction to be effective
doesn't Strong acid have to react with strong base?
since NH4+ is strong acid, I thought it should react with the strongest
base among the four substances,
so i chose D, which has the highest pH value.

Is it right, or am I doing something wrong here?

Why do you think you were given the pH at a particular concentration? Have you studied the concept of pKa? What 'K' was referred to in the question "...(K>1)..."?
 

FAQ: Acid-Base solutions and their effectiveness for deprotonation of NH4+

1. What is an acid-base solution?

An acid-base solution is a mixture of a weak acid and its conjugate base or a weak base and its conjugate acid. These solutions are used to measure the concentration of hydrogen ions (H+) in a substance, and can be used to neutralize acidic or basic solutions.

2. How do acid-base solutions work?

Acid-base solutions work by using the principle of neutralization, where an acid and a base react to form a salt and water. The acid donates a proton (H+) to the base, which accepts it, resulting in a decrease in the concentration of H+ ions and a corresponding increase in the concentration of hydroxide ions (OH-).

3. Can acid-base solutions deprotonate NH4+?

Yes, acid-base solutions are effective in deprotonating NH4+ (ammonium) ions. When a strong base is added to an ammonium salt, the ammonium ion is deprotonated to form ammonia (NH3) gas and water (H2O).

4. What is the pH of an acid-base solution?

The pH of an acid-base solution is a measure of its acidity or basicity. It is a logarithmic scale ranging from 0 to 14, where 0 is the most acidic, 14 is the most basic, and 7 is neutral. A pH of less than 7 indicates acidity, while a pH greater than 7 indicates basicity.

5. How do you determine the concentration of an acid or base in an acid-base solution?

The concentration of an acid or base in an acid-base solution can be determined using a variety of methods, such as titration or pH measurement. In titration, a known concentration of the acid or base is added to the solution until the equivalence point is reached, and the volume of acid or base needed to reach this point is used to calculate the concentration. In pH measurement, the pH of the solution is measured and used to determine the concentration using the dissociation constant of the acid or base.

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