Which acid-base chemical reaction is irreversible?
weak acid added to water
water on its own
weak base added to water
strong acid added to water
strong acid added to water
Hydrochloric acid is a strong acid. Acetic acid is a weak acid. Which statement about hydrochloric acid and acetic acid is correct?
A solution of hydrochloric acid at equilibrium will have a greater concentration of solute than a solution of acetic acid at equilibrium.
If the initial concentration of each acid is the same, then acetic acid will produce more H3O+ ions than hydrochloric acid.
The dissociation constant for hydrochloric acid is greater than the dissociation constant for acetic acid.
The pH of a solution of hydrochloric acid must be less than the pH of a solution of acetic acid.
The first statement is correct:
A solution of hydrochloric acid at equilibrium will have a greater concentration of solute than a solution of acetic acid at equilibrium.
This is because hydrochloric acid is a strong acid, meaning it dissociates almost completely in water, while acetic acid is a weak acid and only partially dissociates. Therefore, the hydrochloric acid solution will have a higher concentration of solute (H+ ions) compared to the acetic acid solution.
Which change would decrease the pH of a base in a solution at equilibrium?
decreasing the concentration of OH– ions
decreasing the amount of water added to the solute
increasing the initial concentration of solute
increasing the strength of the base
Increasing the strength of the base would decrease the pH of a base in a solution at equilibrium.
The irreversible acid-base chemical reaction is when a strong acid is added to water.
To determine which acid-base chemical reaction is irreversible, we need to understand the concept of strong and weak acids and bases.
Strong acids and bases fully dissociate in water, meaning they completely separate into ions. This results in a complete chemical reaction and makes these reactions irreversible. On the other hand, weak acids and bases only partially dissociate in water, which means a reverse reaction can occur.
Now let's analyze the options:
1. Weak acid added to water: This reaction involves a weak acid being mixed with water. Weak acids only partially dissociate in water, so this reaction is reversible. The acid can donate some of its protons (H+) to water, but it can also accept them back, leading to an equilibrium state.
2. Water on its own: Water does not react with itself because it is stable. It can only undergo self-ionization, where a small percentage of water molecules dissociate into hydronium (H3O+) and hydroxide (OH-) ions. However, this process is reversible, as the ions can recombine to form water molecules.
3. Weak base added to water: Similar to the reaction with a weak acid, when a weak base is added to water, it only partially dissociates. Therefore, this reaction is also reversible.
4. Strong acid added to water: This is the only option that involves a strong acid. When a strong acid is added to water, it fully dissociates, completely transferring its protons to water molecules. This reaction is irreversible because there is no reverse reaction that can occur.
So, the correct answer is "strong acid added to water."