Experiment No.

4 Electrolytes and Non-electrolytes

Answers to Questions (ATQ)

1. Classify the solutions as strong, weak, or non-electrolyte.

Refer to data sheet.

2. Compare the degree of ionization and the acid strength of HCl and CH
3
COOH. Likewise, compare the degree of ionization and
the basic strength of NaOH and NH
3
.

HCl is completely ionized (dissociated into its component ions), and this makes HCl a strong acid. CH
3
COOH, on the other
hand, is only partially dissociated into its component ions, rendering it as a weak acid.

The same is true for NaOH and NH
3
. NaOH is considered a strong base because it fully dissociates into Na
+
and OH
-
ions
while ammonia is considered a weak base because only a few NH
4
+
ions form in its aqueous state.

3. Explain clearly with the aid of equations why a solution formed by mixing NH
3
and CH
3
COOH is a strong electrolyte.

Acetic acid is a weak acid and ammonia is a weak base. This means that these two compounds do not readily dissociate in
H
2
O, as shown in equations (1) and (2), the double arrows( ) implying reversibility.

(1) CH
3
COOH
(aq)
+ H
2
O
(aq)
CH
3
COO
-

(aq)
+ H
3
O
+
(aq)

(2) NH
3

(aq)
+ H
2
O
(aq)
NH
4
+
(aq)
+ OH
-
(aq)


Surprisingly, however, the reaction of CH
3
COOH and NH
3
will produce an electrolyte stronger than the individual solutions.

(3) CH
3
COOH
(aq)
+ NH
3

(aq)
NH
4
CH
3
COO
(aq)

(4) NH
4
CH
3
COO
(aq)
+ H
2
O
(aq)
NH
4
+
(aq)
+ CH
3
COO
-

(aq)
+ H
2
O
(aq)


The compound formed by acetic acid and ammonia, NH
4
CH
3
COO, is shown in
equation (3) in its aqueous state. Upon further reaction with H
2
O, NH
4
CH
3
COO dissociates into NH
4
+
and CH
3
COO
-

ions,
thus increasing the number of ions in the solution and making it a strong electrolyte.

4. Account for the changes in the conductance of glacial CH
3
COOH upon dilution.

Glacial acetic acid is anhydrous, which means it is not combined with H
2
O. Being
water-free, the ions in glacial acetic acid cannot dissociate, explaining why did not light up when it was tested. Upon
successive, dilutions, however, water is introduced to CH
3
COOH molecules, enabling it to form ions. The more H
2
O is
added, the more ions will dissociate, and the brighter the bulb will be. That is why undiluted glacial acetic acid does not show
any conductivity, while progressive dilution increases its conductance.

E








Experiment No. 9 Flame Test
Answers to Questions (ATQ)



1. Give the half reactions for the reduction of the metal cations.

a.) Ba
2+
+ 2e
-
Ba
b.) Ca
2+
+ 2e
-
Ca
c.) Cu
2+
+ 2e
-
Cu
d.) K
+
+ e
-
K
e.) Na
+
+ e
-
Na


2. Write the electronic configuration of Cu
2+
, Ca
2+
, Na
+
, Ba
2+
,and K
+
.

Long method

a.) Cu
2+
: 1s
2
2s
2
2p
6
3s
2
3p
6
4s
0
3d
9

b.) Ca
2+
: 1s
2
2s
2
2p
6
3s
2
3p
6

c.) Na
+
: 1s
2
2s
2
2p
6

d.) Ba
2+
: 1s
2
2s
2
2p
6
3s
2
3p
6
4s
2
3d
10
4p
6
5s
2
4d
10
5p
6

e.) K
+
: 1s
2
2s
2
2p
6
3s
2
3p
6


Noble Core Method

a.) Cu
2+
: [Ar] 4s
0
3d
9

b.) Ca
2+
: [Ar]
c.) Na
+
: [Ne]
d.) Ba
2+
: [Xe]
e.) K
+
: [Ar]