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Multiple Choice
What is the pH of a solution prepared by mixing 25.00 mL of 0.10 M methylamine, CH3NH2, with 25.00 mL of 0.10 M methylammonium chloride, CH3NH3Cl? Assume that the volume of the solutions are additive and that Kb = 3.70 × 10⁻⁴ for methylamine.
A
9.25
B
10.61
C
4.39
D
7.00
Verified step by step guidance
1
Identify that the solution is a buffer solution, consisting of a weak base (methylamine, CH3NH2) and its conjugate acid (methylammonium chloride, CH3NH3Cl).
Use the Henderson-Hasselbalch equation for a buffer solution: \( \text{pH} = \text{pK}_a + \log \left( \frac{[\text{base}]}{[\text{acid}]} \right) \).
Calculate \( \text{pK}_a \) from \( K_b \) using the relation \( \text{pK}_a = 14 - \text{pK}_b \). First, find \( \text{pK}_b \) by taking the negative logarithm of \( K_b \): \( \text{pK}_b = -\log(3.70 \times 10^{-4}) \).
Determine the concentrations of the base and acid in the final solution. Since the volumes are additive, the total volume is 50.00 mL. The concentration of each component is halved: \( [\text{CH}_3\text{NH}_2] = \frac{0.10 \text{ M} \times 25.00 \text{ mL}}{50.00 \text{ mL}} \) and \( [\text{CH}_3\text{NH}_3\text{Cl}] = \frac{0.10 \text{ M} \times 25.00 \text{ mL}}{50.00 \text{ mL}} \).
Substitute the values into the Henderson-Hasselbalch equation to find the pH: \( \text{pH} = \text{pK}_a + \log \left( \frac{[\text{CH}_3\text{NH}_2]}{[\text{CH}_3\text{NH}_3\text{Cl}]} \right) \). Since the concentrations of the base and acid are equal, the log term becomes zero, simplifying the calculation.