Answer to Question #249961 in General Chemistry for Tahir

Question

The transfer of a proton from butyric acid (stomach acid) to acetate can be described by the following reaction:

CH₃ CH CH₂ COOH + CH₃COO⁻ = CH₃CH₂CH₂COO−+CH₃COOH

Butyric acid+Acetate = Butyrate+Acetic acid

(a) The equilibrium constant for this reaction is K = 0.87, and K_a for acetic acid is 1.74*10⁻⁵. Using these values and K_w, compute the acid dissociation constant for butyric acid.

(b) Write the reaction and determine the value of Kb (the basicity constant) for butyrate.

(c) A solution is made by adding some acetic acid and some sodium butyrate to water. List all the species in the equilibrium solution that can act as acids, and rank them from most acidic to least acidic. Do the same for all species that can act as bases.

Answer 1

The answer is provided in the image below