Calculate [OH-] ions in a 0.125 M solution of nitrous acid. Is this solution acidic or basic; how do you know? Make sure you include the ionization equation.

1 Answer
anor277
Mar 23, 2017

Your question is incomplete..........

Explanation:

#"Nitrous acid"#, #HNO_2#, is a weak Bronsted acid, and ionizes in solution according to:

#HNO_2(aq) +H_2O(l) rightleftharpoons H_3O^+ + NO_2^-#

It will give a weakly acidic solution. We could calculate #H_3O^+#, and #NO_2^-#, and #[HO^-]# if we were given #K_a# for this weak acid. Of course, I could look it up, but then so could you.

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