In a acidic solution with a PH of 3.4,78% of the acid ionized.what is the pka of the acid?
To determine the pKa of the acid, we can use the Henderson-Hasselbalch equation, which relates the pH of a solution to the pKa of the acid and the ratio of the concentration of the conjugate base to the concentration of the acid:
pH = pKa + log([A-]/[HA])
Given that the pH of the solution is 3.4 and that 78% of the acid is ionized, we can calculate the ratio of [A-]/[HA]:
[A-]/[HA] = 0.78/0.22 = 3.546
Substitute this value into the Henderson-Hasselbalch equation along with the pH value to find the pKa of the acid:
3.4 = pKa + log(3.546)
pKa = 3.4 - log(3.546)
pKa ≈ 2.835
Therefore, the pKa of the acid is approximately 2.835.