Question
Hydrochloric acid is a strong acid. Acetic acid is a weak acid. Which statement about hydrochloric acid and acetic acid is correct?(1 point)
Responses
If the initial concentration of each acid is the same, then acetic acid will produce more H3O+ ions than hydrochloric acid.
If the initial concentration of each acid is the same, then acetic acid will produce more H 3 O + ions than hydrochloric acid.
The pH of a solution of hydrochloric acid must be less than the pH of a solution of acetic acid.
The pH of a solution of hydrochloric acid must be less than the pH of a solution of acetic acid.
The dissociation constant for hydrochloric acid is greater than the dissociation constant for acetic acid.
The dissociation constant for hydrochloric acid is greater than the dissociation constant for acetic acid.
A solution of hydrochloric acid at equilibrium will have a greater concentration of solute than a solution of acetic acid at equilibrium.
Responses
If the initial concentration of each acid is the same, then acetic acid will produce more H3O+ ions than hydrochloric acid.
If the initial concentration of each acid is the same, then acetic acid will produce more H 3 O + ions than hydrochloric acid.
The pH of a solution of hydrochloric acid must be less than the pH of a solution of acetic acid.
The pH of a solution of hydrochloric acid must be less than the pH of a solution of acetic acid.
The dissociation constant for hydrochloric acid is greater than the dissociation constant for acetic acid.
The dissociation constant for hydrochloric acid is greater than the dissociation constant for acetic acid.
A solution of hydrochloric acid at equilibrium will have a greater concentration of solute than a solution of acetic acid at equilibrium.
Answers
GPT-4o mini
The correct statement about hydrochloric acid and acetic acid is:
**The dissociation constant for hydrochloric acid is greater than the dissociation constant for acetic acid.**
Here's why:
1. **Strength of Acids**: Hydrochloric acid (HCl) is a strong acid, which means that it dissociates completely in solution, producing a high concentration of H₃O⁺ ions. On the other hand, acetic acid (CH₃COOH) is a weak acid, which means it only partially dissociates, resulting in a lower concentration of H₃O⁺ ions at equilibrium.
2. **pH Considerations**: Because hydrochloric acid dissociates completely, its pH will always be lower than that of a solution of acetic acid of the same initial concentration.
3. **Dissociation Constant (Ka)**: The dissociation constant (Ka) for strong acids like HCl is effectively very large (it can be approximated as infinite for practical purposes), while the Ka for acetic acid is much smaller (around 1.8 × 10⁻⁵).
4. **Concentration of Solutes at Equilibrium**: A solution of HCl at equilibrium will have a greater concentration of H₃O⁺ ions than a solution of acetic acid, but the overall concentration of solute may depend on the specific situation, such as the initial concentration and how far each acid has dissociated.
Thus, while all choices warrant consideration, the statement about the dissociation constant accurately captures the relationship between these two acids.
**The dissociation constant for hydrochloric acid is greater than the dissociation constant for acetic acid.**
Here's why:
1. **Strength of Acids**: Hydrochloric acid (HCl) is a strong acid, which means that it dissociates completely in solution, producing a high concentration of H₃O⁺ ions. On the other hand, acetic acid (CH₃COOH) is a weak acid, which means it only partially dissociates, resulting in a lower concentration of H₃O⁺ ions at equilibrium.
2. **pH Considerations**: Because hydrochloric acid dissociates completely, its pH will always be lower than that of a solution of acetic acid of the same initial concentration.
3. **Dissociation Constant (Ka)**: The dissociation constant (Ka) for strong acids like HCl is effectively very large (it can be approximated as infinite for practical purposes), while the Ka for acetic acid is much smaller (around 1.8 × 10⁻⁵).
4. **Concentration of Solutes at Equilibrium**: A solution of HCl at equilibrium will have a greater concentration of H₃O⁺ ions than a solution of acetic acid, but the overall concentration of solute may depend on the specific situation, such as the initial concentration and how far each acid has dissociated.
Thus, while all choices warrant consideration, the statement about the dissociation constant accurately captures the relationship between these two acids.