[CHM 112] quiz 2

[Andrew J. Pounds]

On 07/25/13 22:14, Liza Michael Klyachkin wrote:
> How do you know when you have to find Kb? Like if it gives you Ka how 
> would you know if you have to use Ka or use Kw to find Kb?
> On Jul 25, 2013, at 9:57 PM, Andrew J. Pounds wrote:
>
Let's say that I have the following equilibrium reaction....

HCOOH + H_2 O <--> H_3 O+ + COOH^-

Look on the right -- see the H_3 O^+ ?  In those cases I use Ka.

Now, if I just had COOH^- in solution (no iniitial HCOOH) then I would 
have to write my equilibrium reaction as...

COOH^- + H_2 O  <-->  OH^-   + HCOOH

Look on the right -- see the OH^- ?  In those cases I used Kb

-- 
Andrew J. Pounds, Ph.D.  (pounds_aj at mercer.edu)
Professor of Chemistry and Computer Science
Mercer University,  Macon, GA 31207   (478) 301-5627
http://faculty.mercer.edu/pounds_aj

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