chemistry - how to calculate pH, pOH, pKa, pKb
1.1 what is pH?
pH only refers to the hydrogen┬аion┬аconcentration in acids and bases and is only meaningful when applied to┬аaqueous┬а(water-based) solutions.
acidic solution: pH < 7; c(H3O+) > 10^-7 mol/l
neutral solution: pH = 7; c(H3O+) = c(OH-) = тИЪKw = 10^-7 mol/l
alkaline solutions: pH > 7; c(H3O+) < 10^-7 mol/l
typically, values of pH range from 0 to 14, although very┬аstrong acids┬аmay have a┬аnegative pH, while very┬аstrong bases┬аmay have a pH exceeding 14.
pH is an abbreviation for "power of hydrogen".
1.2 what is pOH?
pOH is a measure of hydroxide┬аion┬а(OH-)┬аconcentration and of the┬аalkalinity┬аof a┬аsolution.
acidic solution: pOH > 7; c(OH-) < 10^-7 mol/l
neutral solution: pOH = 7; c(H3O+) = c(OH-) = тИЪKw = 10^-7 mol/l
alkaline solutions: pOH < 7; c(OH-) > 10^-7 mol/l
2. how to calculate pH
definition: pH is the negative logarithm of the molar hydrogen ion concentration.
to calculate the pH of an aqueous solution you need to know the concentration of the hydronium ion in moles per liter (molarity).
pH = -lg {c(H3O+)}
the hydronium ion concentration can be found from the pH by the reverse of the mathematical operation employed to find the pH.
c(H3O+) = 10^-pH or c(H30+) = antilog (-pH)
example:
question: what is the pH of a solution with (H3O+) = 1 x 10^-6┬аM
pH = -lg (H3O+)
substitute (H3O+) with the concentration in the question.
pH = -lg (1 ├Ч 10^-6)
pH = - (-6)
pH = 6
3. how to calculate pOH
definition:┬аpOH is the negative logarithm of the hydroxide-ion concentration.
to calculate the pOH of an aqueous solution you need to know the concentration of the hydroxide ion in moles per liter (molarity).
pOH =┬а - log {c(OH-)}
the hydroxide ion concentration can be found from the pOH by the reverse mathematical operation employed to find the pOH.
c(OH-) = 10^-pOH or┬аc(OH-) = antilog ( - pOH)
4. relationship between pH and pOH
pH + pOH = 14
at 25┬░C Kw = c(H3O+) ├Ч c(OH-) = 10^-14
if either the pH or the pOH of a solution is known, the other can be quickly calculated.
5.1 what is pKa?
pKa┬аis the negative base-10 logarithm of the┬аacid dissociation constant┬а(Ka) of a┬аsolution.
it is used to determine the strength of┬аan acid or acidic solution.
pKa = -log10Ka
the lower the pKa┬аvalue,┬аthe stronger the acid.
Ka┬а= [A-][H3O+] / [HA][H2O]
HA + H2O тЗЖ A-┬а+ H3O+
simplified: Ka┬а= [A-][H+]/[HA]
HA тЗЖ A-┬а+ H+
5.2 what is pKb?
pKb┬аis the negative base-10 logarithm of the base dissociation constant (Kb) of a┬аsolution.
it is used to determine the strength of┬аa base┬аor alkaline solution.
pKb = -log10Kb
the lower the pKb┬аvalue, the stronger the base.
Kb┬а= [B+][H2O] / [BH+] [OH-]
BH+┬а+ OHтИТ┬атЗМ B + H2O
simplified: Kb┬а= [B+][OH-] / [BOH]
BOHтИТ┬атЗМ B+ + OH-
6. how to calculate pKa
pKa┬а= - log (Ka)
here Ka is the equilibrium constant for the ionization of the acid.
7. calculating Ka from pKa
the Ka┬аfor an acid is calculated from the pKa┬аby performing the reverse of the mathematical operation used to find pKa.
Ka┬а= 10^-pKa┬а or┬а Ka┬а= antilog ( - pKa)
8. how to calculate pKb
pKb┬а=┬а - log (Kb)
here Kb┬аis the equilibrium constant for the ionization of a base.
9. calculating Kb from pKb
the Kb┬аfor an acid is calculated from the pKb┬аby performing the reverse of the mathematical operation used to find pKb.
Kb┬а= 10-pKb┬а or┬а Kb┬а= antilog ( - pKb)
please correct me if i have made any mistakes! i am still learning, too! тЩб













