Educational Materials for Organic Chemistry

Acid-Base Equilibria Tutorial

This tutorial will allow you to explore the effect of changing reaction conditions on the acid-base equilibrium reactions of bromoacetic acid, a simple organic acid. The initial solution consists of 0.1 moles of bromoacetic acid in 1 L of water adjusted to pH 7. Once you have completed your exploration into the effect of changing a variable, select the link at the bottom of future pages to go to the explanation about that variable's effect on equilibria.

General Suggestion: You may want to try making a rough graph of each adjustable parameter versus the concentration of either the acid form (A) or the basic form (B) of bromoacetic acid. (or against any other parameter which seems to be changing in response to your choices!)

Confused? - Try using these more specific questions to guide your explorations.

Table 1: Adjustable Values

Previous pH7Current pH 7
Previous Temperature25 degrees CCurrent Temperature25 degrees C
Previous Volume Solution1 LCurrent Volume Solution1 L

Table 2: Values Affected by Changes in Table 1

Previous Concentration A7.98 x 10-6 MCurrent Concentration A 7.98 x 10-6 MChange in Concentration A0.0 M
Previous Concentration B0.1 MCurrent Concentration B 0.1 MChange in Concentration B0.0 M
Previous pKa2.902Current pKa2.902Change in pKa0.0

Explore different combinations of reaction conditions to determine how changes affect the position of equilibria. Try changing only one variable at a time initially. (Any variable you do not specify will be assigned the previous value)

Select the next pH.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Select the next temperature.

15 20 25 30 35

Select the next volume of solution.

10 L (10000 mL) 1 L (1000 mL) 100 mL 10 mL




Last modified 9/24/97
Abby Parrill
Department of Chemistry
Michigan State University

These pages may be downloaded and linked from other pages freely for academic and educational purposes. Questions, problems, and errors should be sent to parrill@argus.cem.msu.edu.