What is the pH of a 0.10*mol*L^-1 solution of ammonium ion....for which pK_a=9.26?

1 Answer
Mar 31, 2017

And the pK_a of ammonium ion is..............?

Explanation:

We interrogate the equilibrium,

NH_4^+ + H_2O(l) rightleftharpoons NH_3 + H_3O^(+)

For which, K_a=([NH_3][H_3O^+])/([NH_4^+])=10^(-9.25)

So 10^(-9.25)=x^2/(0.10-x), a quadratic in x, that we can solve by successive approximation, i.e. assuming that 0.1>x:

Thus x~=sqrt(10^(-9.25)xx0.10)

x_1=7.5xx10^-6

x_2=7.5xx10^-6

Since x=[H_3O^+], pH=-log_10(7.5xx10^-6)=5.12