Textbook Question
Write the Keq expression for the following acid–base reactions. [You don't need to calculate Keq here.]
(c)
6
views
Ch. 4 - Acids and Bases: Electron Flow
Mullins1st EditionOrganic Chemistry: A Learner Centered ApproachISBN: 9780137566471
Not the one you use?Change textbookSelect a different textbook
Table of contents
- Ch. 2 - General Chemistry Translated: Finding the Electrons114
- Ch. 3 - Alkanes and Cycloalkanes: Properties and Conformational Analysis109
- Ch. 4 - Acids and Bases: Electron Flow144
- Ch. 5 - Chemical Reaction Analysis: Thermodynamics and Kinetics118
- Ch. 6 - Stereoisomerism: Arrangement of Atoms in Space112
- Ch. 7 - Principles of Green (Organic) Chemistry3
- Ch. 8 - Alkenes I: Properties and Electrophilic Additions158
- Ch. 9 - Alkenes II: Oxidation and Reduction150
- Ch. 10 - Alkynes: Electrophilic Addition and Redox Reactions101
- Ch. 11 - Properties and Synthesis of Alkyl Halides: Radical Reactions108
- Ch. 12 - Substitution and Elimination: Reactions of Haloalkanes172
- Ch. 13 - Alcohols, Ethers and Related Compounds: Substitution and Elimination239
- Ch. 14 - Structural Identification I: Infrared Spectroscopy and Mass Spectrometry54
- Ch. 15 - Structural Identification II: Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy93
- Ch. 16 - Metals in Organic Chemistry48
- Ch. 17 - Carbonyl Addition Reactions: Aldehydes and Ketones45
- Ch. 18 - Nucleophilic Acyl Substitution I: Carboxylic Acids18
- Ch. 19 - Nucleophilic Acyl Substitution II: Carboxylic Acid Derivatives39
- Ch. 20 - Enolates: Carbonyl Addition and Substitution13
- Ch. 21 - Conjugated Systems I: Stability and Addition Reactions56
- Ch. 22 - Conjugated Systems II: Pericyclic Reactions54
- Ch. 23 - Benzene I: Aromatic Stability and Substitution Reactions64
- Ch. 24 - Benzene II: Reactions Influenced by the Aromatic Ring62
- Ch. 25 - Amines: Structure, Reactions, and Synthesis27
- Ch. 26 - Amino Acids, Proteins, and Peptide Synthesis9
- Ch. 27 - Carbohydrates, Nucleic Acids, and Lipids54
Mullins1st EditionOrganic Chemistry: A Learner Centered ApproachISBN: 9780137566471Not the one you use?Change textbook
Chapter 3, Problem 22c
Given the value of Keq for the following acid–base reactions, identify the weakest acid and the weakest base.
(c) 
Verified step by step guidance1
Step 1: Analyze the equilibrium constant (K_eq) value provided in the reaction. A high K_eq value (7.9 × 10³) indicates that the reaction strongly favors the products over the reactants.
Step 2: Identify the acids and bases in the reaction. Ethanol (CH₃CH₂OH) acts as the acid in the reactants, and hydrochloric acid (HCl) is the stronger acid. In the products, ethyloxonium ion (CH₃CH₂OH₂⁺) is the conjugate acid, and chloride ion (Cl⁻) is the conjugate base.
Step 3: Compare the relative strengths of the acids. Since the reaction favors the formation of ethyloxonium ion (CH₃CH₂OH₂⁺) and chloride ion (Cl⁻), hydrochloric acid (HCl) is the stronger acid, making ethanol (CH₃CH₂OH) the weaker acid.
Step 4: Compare the relative strengths of the bases. Chloride ion (Cl⁻) is the conjugate base of hydrochloric acid, which is a strong acid. Strong acids have weak conjugate bases, so Cl⁻ is the weaker base compared to ethanol (CH₃CH₂OH).
Step 5: Conclude that the weakest acid in the reaction is ethanol (CH₃CH₂OH), and the weakest base is chloride ion (Cl⁻).
Verified video answer for a similar problem:
This video solution was recommended by our tutors as helpful for the problem above.
Video duration:
4mWas this helpful?
Key Concepts
Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.
Acid-Base Equilibrium
Acid-base equilibrium refers to the state where the rates of the forward and reverse reactions in an acid-base reaction are equal, resulting in constant concentrations of reactants and products. The equilibrium constant (K_eq) quantifies this balance, indicating the strength of the acids and bases involved. A higher K_eq value suggests a stronger acid and a weaker base, while a lower K_eq indicates the opposite.
Recommended video:
Guided course
04:00
Determining Acid/Base Equilibrium
Strength of Acids and Bases
The strength of an acid or base is determined by its ability to donate or accept protons (H+ ions). Strong acids, like hydrochloric acid (HCl), dissociate completely in solution, while weak acids, such as ethanol, do not. In the context of the given reaction, the weakest acid is the one that is less likely to donate a proton, and the weakest base is the one that is less likely to accept a proton.
Recommended video:
2:50Acid-Base Catalysis Concept 3
Conjugate Acid-Base Pairs
In acid-base reactions, acids and bases exist as conjugate pairs. When an acid donates a proton, it forms its conjugate base, and when a base accepts a proton, it forms its conjugate acid. Understanding these pairs is crucial for identifying the weakest acid and base in a reaction. In the provided reaction, the ethyl oxonium ion is the conjugate acid of ethanol, while the chloride ion is the conjugate base of hydrochloric acid.
Recommended video:
2:56Base Pairing Concept 1
Related Practice
Textbook Question
Given the Keq values for the following acid–base reactions, identify the strongest acid and the strongest base.
(c)
2
views
Textbook Question
Given the Keq values for the following acid–base reactions, identify the strongest acid and the strongest base.
(a)
1
views
Textbook Question
Given the value of Keq for the following acid–base reactions, identify the weakest acid and the weakest base.
(a)
3
views
Textbook Question
Given the value of Keq for the following acid–base reactions, identify the weakest acid and the weakest base.
(b)
2
views
Textbook Question
Given the Keq values for the following acid–base reactions, identify the strongest acid and the strongest base.
(b)
3
views