Hydroxyl ion concentration (OH) in the case of sodium acetate can be e...
Explanation of Hydroxyl Ion Concentration in Sodium AcetateSodium acetate is a salt of a weak acid, acetic acid, and a strong base, sodium hydroxide. When sodium acetate is dissolved in water, it undergoes dissociation, producing sodium ions, acetate ions, and a small amount of hydroxyl ions due to the hydrolysis of acetate ions. The hydroxyl ion concentration in sodium acetate can be expressed as:
OH- = (ka x [CH3COO-])/[H+]
Explanation of Variables
- OH-: represents hydroxyl ion concentration
- ka: represents the acid dissociation constant of acetic acid
- [CH3COO-]: represents the concentration of acetate ions
- [H+]: represents the concentration of hydrogen ions
Explanation of the EquationThe equation above shows that the hydroxyl ion concentration in sodium acetate is dependent on the acid dissociation constant of acetic acid, the concentration of acetate ions, and the concentration of hydrogen ions. Since acetic acid is a weak acid, it does not completely dissociate in water, resulting in a low concentration of hydrogen ions. This causes the hydroxyl ion concentration to be slightly higher than the hydrogen ion concentration, making sodium acetate a basic solution.
Overall, the hydroxyl ion concentration in sodium acetate can be determined using the equation above and is dependent on the acid dissociation constant of acetic acid, the concentration of acetate ions, and the concentration of hydrogen ions.