The Acid Dissociation Constant K_a Equals 1

question 24

Multiple Choice

The acid dissociation constant K_a equals 1.26 × 10⁻² for HSO₄⁻ and is 5.6 × 10⁻¹⁰ for NH₄. Which statement about the following equilibrium is correct?HSO₄⁻(aq) + NH₃(aq) ⇄ SO₄²⁻(aq) + NH₄⁺(aq)

• A)The reactants will be favored because ammonia is a stronger base than the sulfate anion.
• B)The products will be favored because the hydrogen sulfate ion is a stronger acid than the ammonium ion.
• C)Neither reactants nor products will be favored because all of the species are weak acids or bases.
• D)The initial concentrations of the hydrogen sulfate ion and ammonia must be known before any prediction can be made.
• E)This reaction is impossible to predict, since the strong acid and the weak base appear on the same side of the equation.

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