Chemistry 5

Chapter-5
Reactions in Aqueous Solutions

Part-1

27 September 2002
Some Cool Chemistry Research
 Chemistry Research, cont’d.

100
Conductance change (nS)

80

60

40

20

0
0 1 2 3 4 5 6
PSA concentration (pg/ml)

• Quantitative detection of protein concentration to

femtomolar (10-15 M) level
• Potential for single molecule detection.
 Chemistry Research, cont’d.

Blood Sample

106 sensor array

Detect simultaneously in real-time:

• all serum proteins & disease marker proteins
• viruses and pathogens
• screen genomic DNA for large or complete set of
SNPs
 Properties of Aqueous Solutions
ƒ Structure of H2O liquid?
-0.4
+0.2

+0.2

Oxidation State of element in H2O?

Polarity of H2O molecule enables it to interact strongly with
other polar molcules (including itself) and ions!

ƒ Water as a solvent?

Na+ Cl-

Cations in aqueous solution Anions in aqueous solution

are stabilized by interactions are stabilized by interactions
with the oxygen (partial with the hydrogen (partial
negative charge) atoms of positive charge) atoms of
water molecules. water molecules.
 Electrolytes & Nonelectrolytes
What happens when dissolve a chemical
compound in solution?
ƒ nonelectrolyte

Nonelectrolytes are substances that do not

ionize in aqueous solution.

Examples: CH3OH, CH3CH2OH

ƒ strong electrolyte
Strong electrolytes are substances that for
all intents are considered to be completely
ionized in aqueous solution.

Examples: almost all soluble ionic

compounds.

ƒ weak electrolyte
Weak electrolytes are substances that are
only partially ionized in aqueous solution.

Examples: most molecular compounds such

as organic acids, organic bases & proteins.
 Electrolytes & Concentration
Strong electrolytes dissociate completely upon
dissolution in water. What are the concentrations of
cations and anions when 0.05 M solutions of salts
are made?

ƒ KBr Æ K+ + Br-
.05 M .05 M

ƒ CaCl2 Æ Ca2+ + 2Cl-

.05 M .1 M

ƒ Na2SO4 Æ 2Na+ + SO42-

.1 M .05 M

Ions in Nature
 Precipitation Reactions

ƒ Precipitation reaction
A precipitation reaction is a chemical reaction in which
cations and anions combine to form an insoluble ionic
compound called a precipitate.
Typically, precipitation reactions are carried out by mixing
solutions of strong electrolytes.

ƒ overall equation
We can describe the mixing of two solutions by a chemical
equation; for example:
Pb(NO3)2(aq) + K2CrO4(aq) Æ PbCrO4(s) + 2KNO3(aq)
Pb2+(aq) +2NO3-(aq) + 2K+(aq) + CrO42-(aq) Æ
PbCrO4(s) + 2K+(aq) 2NO3-(aq)

ƒ net ionic equation

The overall ionic equation can be simplified by eliminating
‘spectator ions’, thereby including only those species directly
involved in the reaction; that is a net ionic equation:

Pb2+(aq) + CrO42-(aq) Æ PbCrO4(s)

 General Solubility Trends
ƒ predicting precipitation: periodic table as guide!

ƒ general trends (+ some exceptions)

 Acid-Base Reactions
Acid and bases and their reactions are
ubiquitous in chemistry and biology!
ƒ Acids—what are key features?
• taste sour!
• reactivityRecognize reactions with metals &
carbonates, which often produce gas.
• reaction in water:
Key feature for us– acid is substance that provides hydrogen
ion in aqueous solution.
strong acids is a molecular compound that completely
dissociates in aqueous solution; for example:
H2O
HNO3 H+(aq) + NO3-(aq)
weak acids is a molecular compound that does not
completely dissociate in aqueous solution:
CH3COOH(aq) H+(aq) + CH3COO-(aq)

ƒ The proton interacts strongly with H2O molecules

in aqueous solution, and exists in a variety
dynamic structures: H3O+, H5O2+, H9O4+, H43O21+
 Acid-Base Reactions
ƒ Bases—what are key features?
• qualitative features bitter taste & slippery feel
• reaction in water:
Base is substance that produces hydroxide ion, OH-, in
aqueous solution [base can also react with acid]

strong base is a molecular compound that completely

dissociates in aqueous solution; for example:
NaOH(s) H2O Na+(aq) + OH-(aq)

weak base is a molecular compound that does not

completely dissociate in aqueous solution:
NH3(aq) + H2O NH4+(aq) + OH-(aq)
ƒ Neutralization Reactions--
• strong acid + strong base
the reaction between an acid and base to form H2O and
an aqueous solution of the corresponding ions (a salt).
e.g., HCl(aq) + NaOH(aq) Æ H2O + Na+(aq) + Cl-(aq)
• strong acid + weak base
the reaction between an acid and weak base to form the
protonated form of base and corresponding anions of the
acid.
e.g., HCl(aq) + NH3(aq) Æ NH4+(aq) + Cl-(aq)
• weak acid + strong base