Calculate the pH of 0.005mol/dm-³ tetraoxosulphate (vi)

1 answer

We need to know the dissociation of tetraoxosulphate (vi) ion, also known as sulphuric acid (H2SO4):

H2SO4 ⇌ H+ + HSO4-

Since HSO4- is still an acid, we need to dissociate it again:

HSO4- ⇌ H+ + SO4²-

Now we can write the equilibrium expression for the dissociation of H2SO4:

Kw = [H+][HSO4-] / [H2SO4]

where Kw is the ion product constant of water (10^-14)

Since we know that [H2SO4] is 0.005 mol/dm³, we can assume that [H+] = [HSO4-] (because HSO4- does not dissociate appreciably at this concentration). Therefore:

Kw = [H+]² / 0.005

Solving for [H+], we get:

[H+] = √(Kw x 0.005)

[H+] = √(10^-14 x 0.005)

[H+] = 7.07 x 10^-8 mol/dm³

Taking the negative logarithm of [H+], we get the pH:

pH = -log[H+]

pH = -log(7.07 x 10^-8)

pH = 7.15 (rounded to two decimal places)

Therefore, the pH of 0.005mol/dm-³ tetraoxosulphate (vi) is 7.15.