pH of an Aqueous Solution of Al3+
Aluminum ion (Al3+) is a cation with a positive charge of three. When Al3+ dissolves in water, it reacts with water to form hydroxide ions (OH-) and hydrated aluminum ions. The pH of the solution depends on the concentration of OH- and H+ ions produced in the reaction.
Reaction of Al3+ with Water
The reaction of Al3+ with water can be represented as follows:
Al3+ + 3H2O → Al(OH)3 + 3H+
In this reaction, Al3+ reacts with three water molecules to form hydrated aluminum ions (Al(OH)3) and three hydrogen ions (H+). The hydrogen ions make the solution acidic, while the hydroxide ions make the solution basic.
pH Calculation
The pH of the solution can be calculated using the following equation:
pH = -log[H+]
Where [H+] is the concentration of hydrogen ions in the solution. Since the reaction between Al3+ and water produces three hydrogen ions, the concentration of hydrogen ions can be calculated by multiplying the concentration of Al3+ by three.
Example: If the concentration of Al3+ in a solution is 0.1 M, the concentration of hydrogen ions is:
[H+] = 3 x 0.1 = 0.3 M
The pH of the solution can then be calculated by taking the negative logarithm of the hydrogen ion concentration:
pH = -log(0.3) = 0.52
Conclusion
The pH of an aqueous solution of Al3+ depends on the concentration of hydrogen ions produced in the reaction between Al3+ and water. Since the reaction produces three hydrogen ions, the concentration of hydrogen ions can be calculated by multiplying the concentration of Al3+ by three. The pH of the solution can then be calculated using the equation pH = -log[H+].