–3

1. (a) (i) Calculate the concentration, in mol dm , of a solution of hydrochloric

acid, HCl, which has a pH of 1.13.

(1)

–3
(ii) Calculate the concentration, in mol dm , of a solution of chloric(l) acid, HOCl,
which has a pH of 4.23.
–8 –3
Chloric(l) acid is a weak acid with Ka = 3.72 × 10 mol dm .

(4)

–3
(b) The pH of 0.100 mol dm sulphuric acid is 0.98.

+
(i) Calculate the concentration of hydrogen ions, H , in this solution.

(1)

(ii) Write equations to show the two successive ionisations of sulphuric acid, H2SO4,
in water.

......................................................................................................................

......................................................................................................................
(2)

JKNS Consultancy 1
 –3
(iii) Suggest why the concentration of hydrogen ions is not 0.20 mol dm in 0.100 mol
–3
dm sulphuric acid.

......................................................................................................................

......................................................................................................................
(1)

(c) Many industrial organic reactions produce hydrogen chloride as an additional product.
This can be oxidised to chlorine by the Deacon process:
–1
4HCl(g) + O2(g) 2Cl2(g) + 2H2O(g) ∆ H = –115 kJ mol .

0.800 mol of hydrogen chloride was mixed with 0.200 mol of oxygen in a vessel of
3
volume 10.0 dm in the presence of a copper(I) chloride catalyst at 400 ºC. At
equilibrium it was found that the mixture contained 0.200 mol of hydrogen chloride.

(i) Write an expression for the equilibrium constant Kc.

(1)

(ii) Calculate the value of Kc at 400 ºC.

(4)

JKNS Consultancy 2
 (d) State and explain the effect, if any, on the position of equilibrium in (c) of:

(i) decreasing the temperature;

......................................................................................................................

......................................................................................................................

......................................................................................................................
(2)

(ii) decreasing the volume;

......................................................................................................................

......................................................................................................................

......................................................................................................................
(2)

(iii) removing the catalyst.

......................................................................................................................

......................................................................................................................

......................................................................................................................
(2)
(Total 20 marks)

2. (a) The values of the ionic product of water, Kw, at two different temperatures are
shown in the table below.

Temperature /°C Kw
2 –6
/ mol dm
–14
25 1.00 × 10
50 –14
5.48 × 10

JKNS Consultancy 3
 (i) Write an equation to represent the ionisation of water.

...........................................................................................................................
(1)

(ii) Write the expression for Kw.

...........................................................................................................................
(1)

(iii) Define the term pH.

...........................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................
(1)

(iv) Calculate the pH of pure water at 50 °C.

(2)

(v) Explain why pure water at 50 °C is neutral despite the fact that its pH is not 7.

...........................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................
(1)

JKNS Consultancy 4
 –3
(b) The pH curve shown below was obtained when a 0.100 mol dm solution of sodium
3 –3
hydroxide was added to 25.0 cm of a 0.100 mol dm solution of ethanoic acid.

1 4

1 2

1 0
p H
8

0
0 1 0 2 0 3 0
–
V o l u m e 0 .3 1 0 0 m3 o l d m N a O H / c m

(i) What volume of sodium hydroxide solution is required to neutralise half of the
ethanoic acid in this reaction?
3
Volume added = ..............................................................cm
(1)

(ii) Use the graph to determine the pH when the volume of sodium hydroxide you have
stated in part (i) has been added.

pH is .....................................................................................
(1)

(iii) Write an expression for the acid dissociation constant, Ka, of ethanoic acid,
CH3COOH.

(1)

JKNS Consultancy 5
 (iv) Use your answers to parts (ii) and (iii) to determine the value of Ka for ethanoic
acid at the temperature of the titration. Give your answer to two significant figures.

(2)

(c) Phenolphthalein is a suitable indicator for a titration between ethanoic acid and sodium
hydroxide solutions whereas methyl orange is not a suitable indicator.

Explain why this is so.

.....................................................................................................................................

.....................................................................................................................................

.....................................................................................................................................

.....................................................................................................................................

.....................................................................................................................................

.....................................................................................................................................

.....................................................................................................................................
(2)
(Total 13 marks)

JKNS Consultancy 6
3. (a) What is meant by the term weak acid?

....................................................................................................................................

....................................................................................................................................

....................................................................................................................................
(2)

JKNS Consultancy 7
 (b) A weak acid, represented by HA, dissociates in water according to the equation:

HA(aq) + H2O(l) H3O+(aq) + A–(aq)

Write an expression for the dissociation constant, Ka, for HA.

(1)

3 –3 –3
(c) 25 cm of 1.00 mol dm aqueous HA, was titrated with 1.00 mol dm aqueous sodium
hydroxide and the pH measured throughout. The titration curve is shown below.

14

12

pH 10

0
10 20 30 40 50
V o lu m e o f s o d iu m h y d ro x id e a d d e d / c m 3

Use the titration curve to find:

(i) the value of the pH at the end point of the titration.

............................................................................................................................
(1)

(ii) the pH of an aqueous solution of the salt NaA.

............................................................................................................................
(1)

JKNS Consultancy 8
 (iii) the value of pKa for the acid HA and, hence the value Ka.

pKa ...................................................................................................................

Ka .....................................................................................................................
(2)

(d) Some of the solutions made during this titration would act as buffer solutions.

(i) What is meant by the term buffer solution?

............................................................................................................................

............................................................................................................................

............................................................................................................................
(2)

(ii) Use the titration curve to find:

the range of pH values over which this mixture acts as a buffer;

from .................................................... to ....................................................

(1)

the pH of the most efficient buffer solution.

............................................................................................................................
(1)

(e) Suggest, with reasoning, whether methyl orange or phenolphthalein would be the better
indicator for this titration.

Choice ........................................................................................................................

Reasoning ..................................................................................................................

....................................................................................................................................

....................................................................................................................................
(3)

JKNS Consultancy 9
 (f) Explain why, as the titration proceeds, the flask becomes warm but not as warm as it
–3
would in a similar titration using 1.00 mol dm solutions of hydrochloric acid and
sodium hydroxide.

....................................................................................................................................

....................................................................................................................................

....................................................................................................................................
(3)

–5 –3
(g) A different monobasic weak acid has a dissociation constant of 1.8 × 10 mol dm .

(i) Define pH.

............................................................................................................................
(1)

–3
(ii) Calculate the pH of a 1.00 mol dm aqueous solution of this acid.

(3)
(Total 21 marks)

4. Ethanoic acid, CH3COOH, is a weak acid which can be used, with its salts, to make buffer
solutions.

(a) Explain what is meant by the term weak acid.

....................................................................................................................................

....................................................................................................................................
(1)

JKNS Consultancy 10
 (b) Explain what is meant by the term buffer solution.

....................................................................................................................................

....................................................................................................................................
(2)

–3
(c) An aqueous solution of ethanoic acid of concentration 1.00 mol dm has a pH of 2.8.
3 –3
Sketch, with care, how the pH changes during the titration of 25.0 cm 1.00 mol dm
aqueous ethanoic acid with aqueous sodium hydroxide of the same concentration.

14
pH
12

10

0
0 10 20 30 40 50
V o lu m e o f a lk a li a d d e d /c m 3
(4)

(d) Indicate on your sketch the portion of the curve where the mixture is behaving as a
buffer.
(1)

(e) (i) Write an expression for the dissociation constant, Ka, for ethanoic
acid.

(1)

JKNS Consultancy 11
 (ii) Explain how the pKa of ethanoic could be found from the graph.

............................................................................................................................

............................................................................................................................
(2)
(Total 11 marks)

5. A saturated solution of calcium hydroxide, Ca(OH)2(aq), has a pH of 9.6.

(a) Write an expression linking hydrogen ion concentration and pH. Use this to calculate the
concentration of hydrogen ions in this solution.

(3)

–14 2 –6
(b) (i) The ionisation constant for water, Kw = 1.0 × 10 mol dm .

Write the expression for Kw.

Kw =

(1)

(ii) Calculate the concentration of hydroxide ions in the saturated solution of calcium
hydroxide.

(1)

JKNS Consultancy 12
 (iii) Calculate the concentration of calcium hydroxide in the saturated solution.

(1)

–3
(iv) Calculate the solubility of calcium hydroxide in g dm .

Give your answer to three significant figures.

(1)

(v) Suggest why your calculated value may differ significantly from the value in
chemistry reference books.

.........................................................................................................................

.........................................................................................................................
(1)

3
(c) An alternative method for finding the solubility of calcium hydroxide is to titrate 100 cm
–3
of the saturated solution with hydrochloric acid of concentration 0.00100 mol dm .

Ca(OH)2 (aq) + 2HCl (aq) → CaCl2 (aq) + 2H2O (l)

(i) Calculate the pH of the hydrochloric acid.

(1)

JKNS Consultancy 13
 (ii) Use your answer to (b)(iii) and the information above to calculate the volume of
3
hydrochloric acid needed to neutralise 100 cm of the saturated calcium
hydroxide solution.

(3)

(iii) Sketch the titration curve for this reaction.

(2)

(iv) Suggest why phenolphthalein is not a suitable indicator for this reaction.

..........................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................
(1)
(Total 15 marks)

JKNS Consultancy 14
6. (a) Ammonia reacts with water as below:

+ –
NH3(aq) + H2O(l) NH4 (aq) + OH (aq)

–3
A 0.100 mol dm solution of ammonia has a pH of 11.13.

(i) Identify the Bronsted–Lowry acid/base conjugate pairs in the equation. Clearly
label which are acids and which are bases.

.....................................................................................................................................

.....................................................................................................................................
(2)

(ii) Draw, on the axes below, a graph to show how the pH of the solution varies as
3 –3
40 cm of 0.100 mol dm hydrochloric acid (a strong acid) is added slowly to
3
20 cm of the ammonia solution.

1 4

1 2

1 0

p H 8

0
1 0 2 0 3 0 4 0 5 0
3
V o l u m e o f H C l s o l u t i o n / c m
(4)

JKNS Consultancy 15
 (iii) Select, from the following list, the indicator which would be the most suitable for
this titration. Give a reason for your choice.

Indicator pKind Range

methyl red 5.1 4.2–6.3
bromothymol blue 7.0 6.0–7.6
phenolphthalein 9.3 8.2–10.0

Indicator: ....................................................................................................................

Reason: ......................................................................................................................

.....................................................................................................................................
(2)

(b) Nitrous acid, HNO2, is a weak acid with an acid dissociation constant
–4 –3
Ka = 4.70 × 10 mol dm at 4 °C.

+ –
HNO2(aq) + H2O(l) H3O (aq) + NO2 (aq)

(i) Write the expression for Ka.

(1)

JKNS Consultancy 16
 –3
(ii) Calculate the pH of a 0.120 mol dm solution of nitrous acid.

(3)

(iii) Calculate the pH of a buffer solution made by adding 1.38 g of sodium nitrite,
3 –3
NaNO2, to 100 cm of the 0.120 mol dm solution of nitrous acid
–4 –3
(Ka = 4.70 × 10 mol dm ).

(4)

JKNS Consultancy 17
 (iv) Suggest why a mixture of nitrous acid and sodium nitrite can act as a buffer
solution whereas a solution of sodium nitrite on its own does not.

.....................................................................................................................................

.....................................................................................................................................

.....................................................................................................................................

.....................................................................................................................................
(2)
(Total 18 marks)

7. (a) Benzoic acid is a weak acid. What is meant by a weak acid?

....................................................................................................................................

....................................................................................................................................
(1)

(b) Write an expression for the acid dissociation constant, Ka, for benzoic acid.
(1)

–5 –3
(c) Ka for benzoic acid has value 6.3 × 10 mol dm . Use this data to calculate the pH of a
–3
solution of benzoic acid of concentration 0.050 mol dm .

(3)

JKNS Consultancy 18
 3 –3
(d) In a titration, 40.0 cm of 0.050 mol dm sodium hydroxide was added from a burette to
3 –3
20.0 cm of 0.050 mol dm benzoic acid. Sketch a curve on the grid below to show how
the pH of the solution would change as the sodium hydroxide was added. Detailed
calculations are not required.

(3)

(e) Name a suitable indicator to detect the end-point of this titration.

....................................................................................................................................
(1)

JKNS Consultancy 19
 (f) A mixture of benzoic acid and sodium benzoate can act as a buffer solution.

In what proportion must solutions of benzoic acid and sodium benzoate, of the same
concentration, be mixed to produce a buffer solution of pH 4.5?

[acid]
You may use the equation pH = –log Ka –log [base] .

–5 –3
Ka for benzoic acid has value 6.3 × 10 mol dm .

(2)

(g) Suggest a salt which would make a buffer solution with pH greater than 7 when mixed
with aqueous ammonia.

....................................................................................................................................
(1)
(Total 12 marks)

8. (a) Calculate the pH of a solution of sodium hydroxide of concentration 0.600 mol

–3
dm , assuming it is a strong base.

–14 2 –6
The ionisation constant for water, Kw, is 1.00 × 10 mol dm .

(2)

JKNS Consultancy 20
 –3
(b) Calculate the pH of a solution of ethanoic acid of concentration 0.600 mol dm .

–5 –3
The acid dissociation constant, Ka, for ethanoic acid is 1.70 × 10 mol dm .

(3)

3 –3
(c) A 100 cm sample of sodium hydroxide of concentration 0.600 mol dm is mixed with
3 –3
200 cm of ethanoic acid of concentration 0.600 mol dm .

(i) Write an equation for the reaction which occurs.

(1)

(ii) Calculate the number of moles of unreacted ethanoic acid remaining in the
resulting mixture.

(2)

−3
(iii) Calculate the concentration, in mol dm , of the unreacted ethanoic acid in the
resulting mixture.

(1)

JKNS Consultancy 21
 (iv) The mixture which forms is a buffer. Why does the pH of the mixture remain
+ –
constant when small quantities of solutions containing H or OH ions are added?

You may find it helpful to use equations in your explanation.

+
Addition of solution containing H ions. ...........................................................

.............................................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................................

–
Addition of solution containing OH ions. .........................................................

.............................................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................................
(3)

−3
(v) The concentration of sodium ethanoate in the mixture is 0.200 mol dm . Calculate
the pH of the mixture, using your answer to (iii).

You may use the equation

[acid]
pH = – log Ka – log [base]

(2)
(Total 14 marks)

9. (a) Methanoic acid, HCOOH, is a weak acid. Explain what is meant by the terms weak
and acid.

.....................................................................................................................................

.....................................................................................................................................

.....................................................................................................................................
(2)

JKNS Consultancy 22
 (b) Write a balanced equation, including state symbols, for the reaction between aqueous
solutions of methanoic acid and sodium carbonate.

.....................................................................................................................................
(2)

(c) The following equilibrium is set up when methanoic acid dissociates in water:
– +
HCOOH(aq) + H2O(1) HCOO (aq) + H3O (aq)

(i) There are two conjugate acid-base pairs in the above equation.

Identify them by completing the sentences below:

Formula of one acid is .......................................................... .

The formula of its conjugate base is .......................................................... .

(1)

Formula of the other acid is .......................................................... .

The formula of its conjugate base is .......................................................... .

(1)

(ii) Write the expression for the acid dissociation constant, Ka, for methanoic acid.

(1)

JKNS Consultancy 23
 –3
(iii) Calculate the pH of a 0.100 mol dm solution of methanoic acid at 298 K.
–4 –3
[Ka for methanoic acid is 1.60 × 10 mol dm at 298 K]

(3)

–3
(d) A buffer solution is made up by mixing equal volumes of 0.100 mol dm methanoic acid
–3
and 0.400 mol dm sodium methanoate.

(i) Calculate the pH of the buffer solution obtained.

(3)

JKNS Consultancy 24
 (ii) Explain why the pH of this mixture of methanoic acid and sodium methanoate
remains almost constant when a small quantity of an acidic solution, containing
hydrogen ions, or a small quantity of an alkaline solution, containing hydroxide
ions, is added.

In your explanation include equations to show the effect of adding hydrogen ions
and of adding hydroxide ions.

...........................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................
(3)
(Total 16 marks)

JKNS Consultancy 25
10. Human blood plasma is a buffer solution. It partly owes its buffer properties to carbon dioxide,
produced by respiration, dissolving in the blood for transportation to the lungs.

Carbon dioxide dissolves in water establishing the equilibrium

+ –
CO2(aq) + H2O(l) H (aq) + HCO3 (aq)

(a) (i) Write the expression for Ka for this equilibrium and give its units.

Units ........................
(2)

(ii) What is the relationship between pKa and Ka?

(1)

(b) Explain what is meant by a buffer solution.

.....................................................................................................................................

.....................................................................................................................................

.....................................................................................................................................

.....................................................................................................................................

.....................................................................................................................................

.....................................................................................................................................
(2)

JKNS Consultancy 26
 –
(c) HCO3 (aq) can act as an acid or a base.

+ –
CO2(aq) + H2O(l) H (aq) + HCO3 (aq)

–
In this equilibrium, decide whether HCO3 (aq) is acting as an acid or as a base. Give the
reason for your decision.

.....................................................................................................................................

.....................................................................................................................................

.....................................................................................................................................

.....................................................................................................................................
(1)

–
(d) A sprinter had the pH and total carbonate concentration, [CO2 + HCO3 ], of his blood
plasma measured immediately before and after a race. The following results were
obtained.

–
Total carbonate concentration, [CO2 + HCO3 ]
pH –3
/ mol dm
–2
Before race 7.4 2.52 × 10
–2
After race 7.3 1.98 × 10

The pH of a buffer solution is given by the equation

[acid]
pH = pK a − log
[base]

For this equilibrium pKa is 6.5.

JKNS Consultancy 27
 [acid]
(i) Use this information, together with the data in the table, to calculate [base] before
the race.

(2)

– –3
(ii) The concentration of HCO3 is 0.0224 mol dm . Calculate the concentration of
CO2 before the race.

(1)

(iii) Use your results from (d)(i) and (ii) to complete the table below which will allow
you to compare the results before and after the race.

–
[acid] [HCO3 ] [CO2]
–3 –3
[base] / mol dm / mol dm
Before race 0.0224
After race 0.158 0.0171 0.00270

Two hypotheses have been proposed to explain why vigorous exercise results in an
increase in blood plasma acidity (from 7.4 to 7.3).

JKNS Consultancy 28
 Greater muscle activity during a race requires:

either

Hypothesis I the combustion of larger quantities of glucose, resulting in an

increase in dissolved carbon dioxide and hence an increase in
acidity.

or

Hypothesis II partial oxidation of glucose to lactic acid and hence an increase in

acidity.

State, giving your reasons, which hypothesis is favoured by the data and your
calculations.

...........................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................
(2)
(Total 11 marks)

JKNS Consultancy 29