Try it on paper first. A hint, the key idea and the worked solution are here when you need them.
Hydrocyanic acid, HCN, has . Find its pKa, the of the cyanide ion, , and the pKb. Is a stronger or a weaker base than ammonia?
For a weak acid, . When is small, and . Otherwise solve . For a weak base, . For a conjugate pair, and .
Have you tried it?
Work it out on paper first. It is fine to get stuck or make a mistake: that is how we learn. When you are ready, go through the solution one step at a time, and check each step against your own.
Step 1. pKa. .
Step 2. Kb. , that is .
Step 3. pKb. .
Step 4. Compare. Ammonia has . Cyanide's is a little larger, so it is a slightly stronger base.
Answer: pKa ; ; pKb . A very weak acid has a fairly strong conjugate base.
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