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Ch.16 - Acids and Bases
Chapter 16, Problem 57c

For each strong acid solution, determine [H3O+], [OH], and pH. c. a solution that is 0.052 M in HBr and 0.020 M in HNO3

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1
<strong>Step 1:</strong> Recognize that both HBr and HNO<sub>3</sub> are strong acids, which means they completely dissociate in water. Therefore, the concentration of H<sub>3</sub>O<sup>+</sup> ions from each acid is equal to the initial concentration of the acid itself.
<strong>Step 2:</strong> Calculate the total [H<sub>3</sub>O<sup>+</sup>] by adding the contributions from both acids: [H<sub>3</sub>O<sup>+</sup>] = [HBr] + [HNO<sub>3</sub>].
<strong>Step 3:</strong> Use the ion product of water, K<sub>w</sub> = 1.0 x 10<sup>-14</sup>, to find [OH<sup>-</sup>]. The relationship is given by [H<sub>3</sub>O<sup>+</sup>][OH<sup>-</sup>] = K<sub>w</sub>. Solve for [OH<sup>-</sup>].
<strong>Step 4:</strong> Calculate the pH of the solution using the formula pH = -log[H<sub>3</sub>O<sup>+</sup>].
<strong>Step 5:</strong> Review your calculations to ensure that the assumptions of complete dissociation and the use of K<sub>w</sub> are valid for the given concentrations.

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Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

Strong Acids and Ionization

Strong acids, such as HBr and HNO3, completely dissociate in water, meaning that they release all of their hydrogen ions (H+) into the solution. This complete ionization leads to a direct relationship between the concentration of the acid and the concentration of hydronium ions ([H3O+]), which can be calculated from the molarity of the acid.
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pH Calculation

The pH of a solution is a measure of its acidity, defined as the negative logarithm of the hydronium ion concentration: pH = -log[H3O+]. For strong acids, the pH can be easily calculated using the concentration of the acid, as it directly corresponds to the concentration of H3O+ in the solution.
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Relationship Between [H3O+] and [OH-]

In aqueous solutions, the product of the concentrations of hydronium ions and hydroxide ions ([H3O+][OH-]) is constant at 25°C, known as the ion product of water (Kw = 1.0 x 10^-14). Therefore, once [H3O+] is determined from the strong acid concentration, [OH-] can be calculated using the equation [OH-] = Kw / [H3O+].
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