Try it on paper first. A hint, the key idea and the worked solution are here when you need them.
Three acids are each prepared at . Perchloric acid, HClO4, is a strong acid. Chlorous acid, HClO2, has and hypochlorous acid, HOCl, has . Find the pH of each. For HClO2 solve the quadratic equation. For HOCl the acid is so weak that .
In an interhalogen compound or a xenon compound, count the lone pairs on the central atom. The number is the outer electrons minus the electrons used in bonds, divided by 2. The steric number is the bonded atoms plus the lone pairs. A weak acid with constant and concentration gives with , 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. Perchloric acid. , so .
Step 2. Chlorous acid. , so . The pH is .
Step 3. Hypochlorous acid. . The pH is .
Answer: , and .
Check. The order of the pH values runs opposite to the acid strength, as it should. For HOCl, is far less than , so the approximation is fine.
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