Question

"How much NH4Cl, when present in 2.00 liters of 0.200 M ammonia, will give a solution with pH = 8.20? For NH3, Kb = 1.8 x 10-5"

Answer 1

Answer:

245.66g of NH₄Cl is the mass we need to add to obtain the desire pH

Explanation:

The mixture of NH3/NH4Cl produce a buffer. We can find the pH of a buffer using H-H equation:

pH = pKa + log [A⁻] / [HA]

Where [A⁻] is the molar concentration of the base, NH₃, and [HA] molar concentration of the acid, NH₄⁺. This molar concentration can be taken as the moles of each chemical

First, we need to find pKa of NH₃ using Kb. Then, the moles of NH₃ and finally replace these values in H-H equation to solve moles of NH₄Cl we need to obtain the desire pH.

• pKa NH₃/NH₄⁺

pKb = - log Kb

pKb = -log 1.8x10⁻⁵ = 4.74

pKa = 14 - pKb

pKa = 14 - 4.74

pKa = 9.26

• Moles NH₃

2.00L ₓ (0.200mol NH₃ / L) = 0.400 moles NH₃

• H-H equation:

pH = pKa + log [NH₃] / [NH₄Cl]

8.20 = 9.26 + log [0.400 moles] / [NH₄Cl]

-1.06 =  log [0.400 moles] / [NH₄Cl]

0.0087 =  [0.400 moles] / [NH₄Cl]

[NH₄Cl] = 0.400 moles / 0.0087

[NH₄Cl] = 4.59 moles of NH₄Cl we need to add to original solution to obtain a pH of 8.20. In grams (Using molar mass NH₄Cl=53.491g/mol):

4.59 moles NH₄Cl ₓ (53.491g / mol) =

245.66g of NH₄Cl is the mass we need to add to obtain the desire pH