OCR
A-Level
CHEMISTRY
Physical Chemistry & Transition Elements
pH & Buffers 1
Time allowed
85 minutes
QUESTION PAPER
Score Percentage
/71 %
4.1 | CELL BIOLOGY | QUESTION PAPER 1 1
1 A student is supplied with 0.500 mol dm–3 potassium hydroxide, KOH, and 0.480 mol dm–3
propanoic acid, C2H5COOH.
The acid dissociation constant, Ka, for C2H5COOH is 1.35 × 10–5 mol dm–3.
(a) C2H5COOH is a weak Brønsted–Lowry acid.
What is meant by a weak acid and Brønsted–Lowry acid ?
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(b) Calculate the pH of 0.500 mol dm–3 potassium hydroxide.
pH = .......................................................... [2]
(c) The student dilutes 25.0 cm3 0.480 mol dm–3 C2H5COOH by adding water until the total
volume is 100.0 cm3.
(i) Write the expression for Ka for C2H5COOH.
[1]
(ii) Calculate the pH of the diluted solution.
pH = .......................................................... [3]
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(d) Aqueous propanoic acid, C2H5COOH, reacts with carbonates and alkalis.
(i) Write the full equation for the reaction of aqueous propanoic acid with sodium carbonate.
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(ii) Write the ionic equation for the reaction of aqueous propanoic acid with aqueous
potassium hydroxide.
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(e) A student prepares a buffer solution containing propanoic acid C2H5COOH and propanoate
ions, C2H5COO–. The concentrations of C2H5COOH and C2H5COO– are both 1.00 mol dm–3.
The following equilibrium is set up.
C2H5COOH(aq) C2H5COO–(aq) + H+(aq)
The acid dissociation constant, Ka, for C2H5COOH is 1.35 × 10–5 mol dm–3.
(i) Calculate the pH of this buffer solution.
Give your answer to two decimal places.
pH = .......................................................... [1]
(ii) A small amount of aqueous ammonia, NH3(aq), is added to the buffer solution.
Explain, in terms of equilibrium, how the buffer solution would respond to the added
NH3(aq).
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(iii) The student adds 6.075 g Mg to 1.00 dm3 of this buffer solution.
Calculate the pH of the new buffer solution.
Give your answer to two decimal places
pH = .......................................................... [4]
[Total: 16]
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2 Ethanoic acid, CH3COOH, is a weak Brønsted–Lowry
acid
(a) An acid–base equilibrium is set up when ethanoic acid is added to water.
Write the equation for the equilibrium that would be set up and label the two conjugate
acid–base pairs.
............................. + ............................. ............................. + .............................
............................. ............................. ............................. .............................
[2]
(b) An aqueous solution of CH3COOH has a pH of 3.060.
This solution contains both hydrogen ions and hydroxide ions.
(i) How can an aqueous solution of an acid contain hydroxide ions?
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(ii) Calculate the concentration of hydroxide ions in this solution of ethanoic acid.
concentration of hydroxide ions = ......................................... mol dm–3 [2]
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(c) A student adds an excess of aqueous ethanoic acid to solid calcium carbonate.
The resulting solution is able to act as a buffer solution.
(i) Write a full equation for the reaction between ethanoic acid and solid calcium carbonate.
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(ii) Explain why this buffer solution has formed.
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(iii) Explain how this buffer solution controls pH when either an acid or an alkali is added.
In your answer you should explain how the equilibrium system allows the buffer solution
to control the pH.
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(d) A biochemist plans to make up a buffer solution with a pH of 5.000.
The biochemist adds solid sodium ethanoate, CH3COONa, to 400 cm3 of 0.200 mol dm–3
ethanoic acid.
Ka for ethanoic acid = 1.75 × 10–5 mol dm–3
Calculate the mass of sodium ethanoate that the biochemist needs to dissolve in the ethanoic
acid to prepare this buffer solution.
Assume that the volume of the solution remains constant at 400 cm3 on dissolving the sodium
ethanoate.
[5]
[Total: 17]
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3 This question looks at pH values and reactions of acids, bases and
buffers.
(a) 0.14 mol dm–3 solutions of hydrochloric acid, HCl, and chloric(I) acid, HClO (pKa = 7.43),
have different pH values.
Explain why the pH values are different and calculate the pH of 0.14 mol dm–3 solutions of
HCl and HClO to two decimal places.
Show any working in calculations.
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(b) Aluminium powder is added to aqueous ethanoic acid, CH3COOH.
Write full and ionic equations for the reaction that takes place.
full equation ...............................................................................................................................
ionic equation ....................................................................................................................... [2]
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(c) Calculate the pH of a 0.40 mol dm–3 solution of NaOH.
[2]
(d) In biochemistry, buffer solutions based on methanoic acid can be used in the analysis of urine
samples.
(i) Explain what is meant by the term buffer solution.
Describe how a buffer solution based on methanoic acid can act as a buffer.
In your answer you should explain how the equilibrium system allows the buffer solution
to control the pH.
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(ii) A chemist prepares a buffer solution by mixing together the following:
200 cm3 of 3.20 mol dm–3 HCOOH (Ka = 1.70 × 10–4 mol dm–3) and
800 cm3 of 0.500 mol dm–3 NaOH.
The volume of the buffer solution is 1.00 dm3.
• Explain why a buffer solution is formed when these two solutions are mixed together.
• Calculate the pH of this buffer solution.
Give your answer to two decimal places.
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[6]
[Total: 22]
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4 Butanoic acid, CH3(CH2)2COOH, is the ‘butter acid’, formed when butter turns rancid and
tastes sour. A student prepares an aqueous solution of butanoic acid with a concentration of
0.250 mol dm–3.
The Ka of butanoic acid is 1.51 × 10–5 mol dm–3.
(a) (i) Write the expression for the acid dissociation constant of butanoic acid.
[1]
(ii) Calculate the pKa of butanoic acid.
pKa = .......................................................... [1]
(iii) Calculate the pH of the 0.250 mol dm–3 butanoic acid.
Give your answer to two decimal places.
pH = .......................................................... [3]
(b) The student adds aqueous butanoic acid to magnesium.
The student then adds aqueous butanoic acid to aqueous sodium carbonate.
(i) Write the ionic equation for the reaction between aqueous butanoic acid and magnesium.
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(ii) Write the ionic equation for the reaction between aqueous butanoic acid and aqueous
sodium carbonate.
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(c) The student adds 50.0 cm3 of 0.250 mol dm–3 butanoic acid to 50.0 cm3 of 0.0500 mol dm–3
sodium hydroxide. A buffer solution forms.
(i) Explain why a buffer solution forms.
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(ii) Calculate the pH of the buffer solution.
The Ka of butanoic acid is 1.51 × 10–5 mol dm–3.
Give your answer to two decimal places.
pH = .......................................................... [5]
(d) The student adds methanoic acid, HCOOH (Ka = 1.82 × 10–4 mol dm–3), to butanoic acid. A
reaction takes place to form an equilibrium mixture containing two acid–base pairs.
Complete the equilibrium below and label the conjugate acid–base pairs.
HCOOH + CH3(CH2)2COOH .................................. + .....................................
.............. ............. ................. ................
[2]
[Total: 16]
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