Equal molar solutions are made of three monoprotic acids, HA, HB, and HC . The pHs of the soluti

step 1 Let's go ahead and start by calculating the malarity of both of these acids. Okay, so I'm going

Equal molar solutions are made of three monoprotic acids,...

Equal molar solutions are made of three monoprotic acids, $\mathrm{HA}, \mathrm{HB}$, and HC . The pHs of the solutions are, respectively, $4.82,3.16$, and 5.47. Rank the acids in the order of increasing acid strength and explain your reasoning.

Key Concepts

Relative Acid Strength

Comparing the pH values of equal molar solutions of different acids allows for ranking their relative acid strengths. Since a stronger acid produces a lower pH at the same concentration, this concept enables one to deduce that the acid with the lowest pH is the strongest, and the acid with the highest pH is the weakest.

Monoprotic Acid

A monoprotic acid is one that can donate a single proton (H+) per molecule in solution. This simplifies the analysis and comparison of acid strengths, as each mole of acid contributes one mole of hydrogen ions when fully dissociated, eliminating complications that arise from acids capable of donating multiple protons.

pH and Hydrogen Ion Concentration

The pH of a solution is a measure of its hydrogen ion concentration. In the context of acid strength, a lower pH indicates a higher concentration of hydrogen ions ([H+]) in solution, which reflects a greater degree of acid dissociation. This concept is central to determining and comparing the strengths of acids in solution.

Acid Dissociation Constant (Ka) and pKa

The acid dissociation constant (Ka) quantifies the extent to which an acid donates protons in solution. The pKa, which is the negative logarithm of the Ka, provides an easily comparable numerical value where a lower pKa indicates a stronger acid. This relationship is important for understanding how the intrinsic properties of acids relate to the observed pH in solution.

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