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.
This is because hydrochloric acid (HCl) is a strong acid that completely dissociates in solution, while acetic acid (CH₃COOH) is a weak acid that only partially dissociates. The dissociation constant (Ka) for acetic acid is much smaller than that for hydrochloric acid, which reflects their different strengths.
Here’s a brief analysis of the other statements:
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A solution of hydrochloric acid at equilibrium will have a greater concentration of solute than a solution of acetic acid at equilibrium.
- This statement is not necessarily true in the absence of specific concentrations being given. The concentration of solute depends on the molarity of the solution prepared.
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The pH of a solution of hydrochloric acid must be less than the pH of a solution of acetic acid.
- Generally true for the same concentrations, but it's not automatically true without specifying concentrations.
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If the initial concentration of each acid is the same, then acetic acid will produce more H₃O⁺ ions than hydrochloric acid.
- This is false; HCl will produce more H₃O⁺ ions since it fully dissociates while acetic acid only partially dissociates.
Hence, the most accurate statement is regarding the dissociation constants.
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