Is 0.10 M of NH4OH more acidic than 0.10 M of NaOH? If so/if not, how do you go about understanding what molecule is more acidic? Is there a quick and simple trick?

1 Answer
anor277
Dec 2, 2017

It is more acidic; mind you #"ammonium hydroxide"# is very much a misnomer.

Explanation:

Concentrated ammonia is supplied as an approx. #15*mol*L^-1# solution with respect to ammonia in water. And in water, the following acid base equilibrium occurs to some little extent....

#NH_3(aq) + H_2O(l)rightleftharpoonsNH_4^+ + HO^-#

The ammonia is only approx. #1.5%# #NH_4^+#. And a better way to represent #"ammonium hydroxide"# would be as #NH_3*OH_2#, i.e. solvated ammonia, and note that #NH_3*OH_2-=NH_4OH#

On the other hand, equimolar #NaOH# is stoichiometric in #HO^-#; and its #pH# would be higher.....

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