Chem. 152 – Chapter 14 Reading Objectives – Zumdahl

 

1.       Be familiar with the general characteristics of acids and bases. Know the definitions of Arrhenius acids and bases and Bronsted-Lowry acids and bases. Be able to use these definitions to identify acids and bases in a chemical equation.

 

2.       Understand that protons liberated from acids in aqueous solution exist as hydrated ions.  Know the name and formula for this type of ion.

 

3.       Know the meanings of the terms conjugate acid and conjugate base and be able to identify conjugate acids and bases in a chemical equation.  Be able to write formulas for conjugate acid-base pairs.

 

4.       Understand how acid-base reactions can be represented as equilibrium processes and how the acid dissociation constant, Ka, can be used to express the relative strength of the acids and bases involved.  Be able to write equilibrium expressions and Ka expressions for the dissociation of any acid in water.

 

5.       Understand the difference between strong acids and weak acids.  Know the seven common strong acids (list provided in class).

 

6.       Understand the meaning of the terms: diprotic acid, oxyacid, monoprotic acid, and amphoteric substance.

 

7.       Understand that water is amphoteric and that it is slightly ionized in the pure state.

 

8.       Be able to write the equilibrium equation which shows the auto-ionization of water.  Understand what is meant by the ion product constant of water (Kw). Know how it is calculated and its value in pure water and dilute aqueous solutions at 25°C.

 

9.       Be able to use Kw to calculate ion concentrations.  Be able to describe relative concentrations of H3O+ and OH- for acidic, basic, and neutral solutions.

 

10.   Understand how pH and pOH are calculated.  Be able to perform calculations of pH and pOH.  Be able to use pH or pOH to find [H3O]+ and [OH]-.  Be familiar with the relationships between pH and pOH and be able to use these relationships to calculate pOH from pH and pH from pOH.

 

11.   Be able to identify the major species present in and calculate the pH of strong acid solutions.

 

12.   Be able to write equilibrium equations and equilibrium constant expressions for weak acid dissociation processes.  Understand the meanings of the generic formulas HA and A- as they relate to weak acids.

 

13.   Be able to calculate equilibrium concentrations from Ka.  Understand when you can make the assumption that x is sufficiently small so that “initial conc. – x” @ “initial conc.” 

 

14.   Be able to identify the dominant producer of H+ in a mixture of weak acids and calculate the pH of a solution containing a mixture of weak acids.

 

15.   Be able to perform calculations of percent dissociation.  Recognize the trend that exists between degree of dilution and percent dissociation.

 

16.   Be able to calculate acid dissociation constants (Ka) for weak acids using equilibrium concentrations, percent ionization data, and/or pH data. 

 

17.   Know the identity of the strong, soluble bases.  Be able to calculate the pH of a solution of a strong base.

 

18.   Understand how amines and ammonia form basic solutions in water.  Be able to calculate Kb, pH, pOH, and percent ionization for equilibria involving weak bases.  Be able to use pH or Kb to calculate equilibrium concentrations of weak bases.

 

19.   Understand that ionization of polyprotic acids occurs stepwise and that separate Ka values are needed to describe the equilibrium at each step.  Be able to use these dissociation constants to calculate the concentrations of all species present in an aqueous solution of a polyprotic acid (weak or strong).

 

20.   Be able to relate strength of conjugate acids and bases to the strength of the acid or base from which it is derived.  For example, understand the difference between a conjugate base derived from a strong acid and a conjugate base derived from a weak acid.

 

21.   Be able to qualitatively predict and quantitatively calculate the pH of the following solutions: salt of a strong base and a weak acid, salt of a weak base and a strong acid, salt of a strong base and a strong acid.

 

22.   Be able to qualitatively compare the relative base strength of anions (conjugate bases) of various acids and the relative acid strength of cations (conjugate acids) of various bases.  (Note: knowing identities of strong acids and bases will be very helpful here!)

 

23.   Understand how solutions of salts containing small, highly charged cations can have an acidic pH.  Be able to calculate the pH of these solutions.  Know the trend for relative acidity of these salts based on size and charge of the cation.

 

24.   Be able to qualitatively predict the pH of a solution of the salt of a weak base and a weak acid.

 

25.   Be familiar with and understand the factors governing relative strengths of binary and ternary acids.  Be able to use these factors to compare strengths of acids.

 

26.   Be able to write chemical equations to show how non-metal oxides form acidic solutions and how metal oxides form basic solutions.

 

27.   Be familiar with the definitions of Lewis acids and bases.

 

28.   Know what is meant by the term coordinate covalent bond and understand how a coordinate covalent bond forms in a Lewis acid-base reaction.