A 1.00 liter solution contains 0.31 M sodium acetate and 0.40 M acetic acid. If 0.100 moles of barium hydroxide are added to this system, indicate whether the following statements are TRUE or FALSE . (Assume that the volume does not change upon the addition of barium hydroxide.) a. The number of moles of CH3COOH will remain the same.
b. The number of moles of CH3COO- will increase.
c. The equilibrium concentration of H3O+ will decrease.
d. The pH will decrease.
e. The ratio of [CH3COOH] / [CH3COO-] will remain the same.

Answer and Explanation:

The buffer solution is composed by sodium acetate (CH₃COONa) and acetic acid (CH₃COOH). Thus, CH₃COOH is the weak acid and CH₃COO⁻ is the conjugate base, derived from the salt CH₃COONa.

If we add a strong base, such as barium hydroxide, Ba(OH)₂, the base will dissociate completely to give OH⁻ ions, as follows:

Ba(OH)₂ ⇒ Ba²⁺ + 2 OH⁻

The OH⁻ ions will react with the acid (CH₃COOH) to form the conjugate base CH₃COO⁻.

Initial number of moles of CH₃COOH = 0.40 mol/L x 1 L = 0.40 mol

Initial number of moles of CHCOO⁻= 0.31 mol/L x 1 L = 0.31 mol

moles of OH- added: 2 OH-/mol x 0.100 mol/L x 1 L = 0.200 OH-

According to this, the following are the answers to the sentences:

a. The number of moles of CH₃COOH will remain the same ⇒ FALSE

The number of moles of CH₃COOH will decrease, because they will react with OH⁻ ions

b. The number of moles of CH₃COO⁻ will increase ⇒ TRUE

Moles of CH₃COO⁻ will be formed from the reaction of the acid (CH₃COOH) with the base (OH⁻ ions)

c. The equilibrium concentration of H₃O⁺ will decrease ⇒ FALSE

The equilibrium concentration of OH⁻ is increased

d. The pH will decrease⇒ FALSE

pKa for acetic acid is 4.75. We add the moles of base to the acid concentration and we remove the same number of moles from the conjugate base in the Henderson-Hasselbach equation to calculate pH:

pH = 4.75 + log (0.31 mol + 0.20 mol)/(0.40 mol - 0.20 mol) = 5.15

Thus, the pH will increase.