Reaction Of Acetic Acid (CH3COOH) With Potassium Hydroxide (KOH)

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Reaction of acetic acid (CH3COOH) with potassium hydroxide (KOH)

• Thread starter Thread starter TheAbsoluTurk
• Start date Start date May 14, 2013
• Tags Tags Acid koh Reaction

Click For Summary

Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the reaction of acetic acid (CH3COOH) with potassium hydroxide (KOH), focusing on balancing the chemical equation and deriving the ionic and net ionic equations. Participants explore concepts related to dissociation in solution, the behavior of weak acids, and the nature of spectator ions.

Discussion Character

• Homework-related
• Technical explanation
• Conceptual clarification
• Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

• One participant attempts to balance the reaction and expresses confusion about why K+ does not form a compound with CH3COO-.
• Another participant confirms the initial reaction equation but emphasizes the need for ionic and net ionic equations, prompting further exploration of dissociation.
• Several participants discuss the dissociation of CH3COOH as a weak acid and the implications for the ionic equation.
• There is a suggestion that CH3COOK is a strong electrolyte, leading to complete dissociation, while CH3COOH does not dissociate fully.
• One participant questions the correctness of the explanation regarding the dissociation of K+ and CH3COO-, indicating a potential misunderstanding.
• Another participant clarifies that the presence of multiple ions in solution complicates the naming of compounds, leading to a preference for listing ions instead.
• There is a request for textbook recommendations to better understand these concepts.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express varying levels of understanding regarding the dissociation of weak acids and the behavior of strong electrolytes. There is no consensus on the explanation of why certain ions do not form compounds, and some confusion remains about the nature of the ionic equations.

Contextual Notes

Participants note that the behavior of weak acids and strong electrolytes may not be fully explained in their textbooks, leading to some uncertainty about the concepts discussed.

TheAbsoluTurk Messages 98 Reaction score 2

Homework Statement

Balance the following equation and write the corresponding ionic and net ionic equation (if appropriate): CH_{3}COOH _{(aq)}+ KOH _{(aq)} \rightarrow

Homework Equations

None as far as I know.

The Attempt at a Solution

I wrote: CH_{3}COOH _{(aq)}+ KOH _{(aq)} \rightarrow CH_{3}COOK _{(aq)} + H_{2}O _{(l)} But this is the wrong answer. I don't understand why K^{+} does not form a compound with CH_{3}COO^{-}. Can anyone tell what concept or law/theorem controls what compounds form and what compounds do not form? Why is K^{+} a spectator ion in this reaction? Physics news on Phys.org

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Borek Mentor Messages 29,175 Reaction score 4,602 Your reaction equation is OK, it just doesn't answer the question - you were asked to write ionic and net ionic reactions. Which of the compounds present in the reaction will be fully dissociated? Note: format indices in your formulae with [noparse] and [/noparse] tags, not with LaTeX. And state of matter should be normal text, on the same level as the formula (so dissolved potassium acetate is [noparse]CH3COOK(aq)[/noparse] - rendered as CH3COOK(aq)). TheAbsoluTurk Messages 98 Reaction score 2

Borek said: Your reaction equation is OK, it just doesn't answer the question - you were asked to write ionic and net ionic reactions. Which of the compounds present in the reaction will be fully dissociated? Note: format indices in your formulae with [noparse] and [/noparse] tags, not with LaTeX. And state of matter should be normal text, on the same level as the formula (so dissolved potassium acetate is [noparse]CH3COOK(aq)[/noparse] - rendered as CH3COOK(aq)).

So my initial line of thinking was: Molecular Equation: CH3COOH (aq)+ KOH (aq) → CH3COOK (aq) + H2O (l) Ionic Equation: CH3COO- (aq) + H+ (aq) + K+ (aq) + OH- (aq) → CH3COO- + K+ + H2O (l) Net Ionic Equation: H+ (aq) + OH- (aq) → H2O (l) This is incorrect. But I reasoned that CH3COO- is a weak acid so all of the things in the textbook about not dissociating 100% must come into play here. Therefore, Molecular Equation: CH3COOH (aq)+ KOH (aq) → CH3COOK (aq) + H2O (l) Ionic Equation: CH3COOH (aq) + K+ (aq) + OH- (aq) → CH3COO- +K+ + H2O (l) Net Ionic Equation: CH3COOH (aq) + OH- (aq) → CH3COO- + H2O (l) That is correct according to the answers in the text. How come CH3COO- and K+ do not form a compound though? Is there anyway to calculate or know why? Is it because CH3COOH is not dissociated 100% in solution? (it is a weak acid.) Thanks for the help with writing the equations. Last edited: May 14, 2013 TheAbsoluTurk Messages 98 Reaction score 2 In the ionic equation, K+ and CH3COO- are dissociated because CH3COOK is a strong electrolyte. While CH3COOK is a weak acid so it doesn't dissociate 100%. Is this correct. I'm surprised the text doesn't explain this. Borek, can you recommend any comprehensive, first year university chemistry textbooks? Borek Mentor Messages 29,175 Reaction score 4,602

TheAbsoluTurk said: How come CH3COO- and K+ do not form a compound though?

Imagine a solution containing equal concentrations of CH3COO-, Cl-, K+ and Na+ - you can't tell what compounds it contains, there is more than one answer. So we don't name these compounds at all, it is safer to simply list ions. Sorry, I can't be of much help when it comes to books - unless you are interested in Polish ones Chang and Pauling are usually praised as good titles. TheAbsoluTurk Messages 98 Reaction score 2

Borek said: Imagine a solution containing equal concentrations of CH3COO-, Cl-, K+ and Na+ - you can't tell what compounds it contains, there is more than one answer. So we don't name these compounds at all, it is safer to simply list ions. Sorry, I can't be of much help when it comes to books - unless you are interested in Polish ones Chang and Pauling are usually praised as good titles.

So the explanation that "In the ionic equation, K+ and CH3COO- are dissociated because CH3COOK is a strong electrolyte. While CH3COOH is a weak acid so it doesn't dissociate 100%." is incorrect? Or it doesn't make sense? I'm reading Chang right now actually. TheAbsoluTurk Messages 98 Reaction score 2

TheAbsoluTurk said: In the ionic equation, K+ and CH3COO- are dissociated because CH3COOK is a strong electrolyte. While CH3COOK is a weak acid so it doesn't dissociate 100%. Is this correct. I'm surprised the text doesn't explain this. Borek, can you recommend any comprehensive, first year university chemistry textbooks?

I meant to say CH3COOH is a weak acid, not CH3COOK. My idea is that CH3COOK is a strong electrolyte so it dissociates 100% in solution therefore leaving K+ and CH3COO- in solution. Borek Mentor Messages 29,175 Reaction score 4,602

TheAbsoluTurk said: I meant to say CH3COOH is a weak acid, not CH3COOK. My idea is that CH3COOK is a strong electrolyte so it dissociates 100% in solution therefore leaving K+ and CH3COO- in solution.

This part was OK, I just tried to answer your other question. TheAbsoluTurk Messages 98 Reaction score 2

Borek said: This part was OK, I just tried to answer your other question.

Oh, ok. I thought the two questions answered the same thing. Anyway I have a better idea of how to tell what products will arise from certain reactants. Thank you for the help.

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