pH Calculations and Problem-Solving
In order to understand acid-base chemistry, we will need to familiarize
ourselves with the appropriate jargon. This section covers the skills necessary
to process information on acid and base solutions and solve non-
buffered acid-base problems. There are few new chemical ideas presented,
but the focus is on problem-solving strategies. Our goal is to become
comfortable with such acid-base tools as pH-value conversions and
calculations of dissociation in aqueous solutions. The section starts with simple
calculations of the pH of strong acid or strong base solutions. We will then move into more difficult situations
that deal with mixtures of weak acids and weak bases and hydrolysis
reactions. Finally we discuss how to calculate the pH of a polyprotic acid solution.
