ERIC Number: EJ1254903
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2020
Pages: 3
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1470-8175
EISSN: N/A
From p"K"[subscript a] to the pH of Weak Base Solutions
Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Education, v48 n3 p259-261 May-Jun 2020
Undergraduate biochemistry students frequently find the quantitative treatment of weak acids and bases troublesome. Given the p"K"[subscript a] of a weak acid "HA," for instance, many students struggle to calculate the pH of a solution of the conjugate base A[superscript -] at concentration "C," pH(A[superscript -], "C"). The traditional method involves calculating the base dissociation constant "K"[subscript b] and the artificial quantity pOH before reaching pH, but these steps increase the risk of mistakes and provide little insight into acid-base equilibria. The alternative method presented here allows students to calculate the pH of a weak base solution from the p"K"[subscript a] of its conjugate acid without calculating "K"[subscript b] and pOH, using a memorable relationship: pH(HA, "C") + pH(A[superscript -], "C") = p"K"[subscript a] + 7.
Descriptors: Biochemistry, Undergraduate Students, Science Instruction, Risk, Teaching Methods, Measurement, Error Patterns
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Descriptive
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: Teachers
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A