solution. The (a) Activity, aA, is the effective concentration of a chemical species A in solution. activity coefficient , γA, is the numerical factor necessary to convert the molar
concentration of the chemical species A to activity as shown below: aA=γA[A]
refers to an ideal system within which each (b) The thermodynamic equilibrium constant refers chemical species is unaffected by any others. A concentration equilibrium constant takes takes into account the influence influence exerted by solute species upon one another. The thermodynamic equilibrium constant is numerically constant and ind ependent of ionic strength; the concentration equilibrium constant depends upon molar concentrations of reactants and products as well as other chemical species that may not participate in the equilibrium.
10-2
Activity coefficients have the following properties: 1. The activity coefficient depends on the solution ionic strength. 2. In very dilute solutions, the activity a ctivity coefficient approaches unity. 3. For a given ionic strength, the activity coefficient becomes smaller as the charge of the chemical species increases. 4. At any ionic strength, the activity coefficients are approximately equal for che mical species having the same charge state.
10-3
(a) MgCl 2
+ 2 NaOH →← Mg(OH ) 2 ( s ) + 2 NaCl 2+
+
Replacing divalent-Mg with Na causes the activity coefficient to increase (i.e.,
The activity coefficient remains relatively constant when the NaOH (strong base) is added to HCl (strong acid). There is no change in the charge states states of the ions present present in the solution equilibria. The ionic strength strength is unchanged. (c) HOAc + NaOH
→ ←
H 2 O + NaOAc
The activity coefficient will decrease when the NaOH (strong base) is added to the acetic +
-
acid (weak acid) generating water, Na and OAc (conjugate base). Thus, the ionic strength increases.
10-4
(a) The ionic strength will increase when FeCl3 is added to HCl. (b) 3 NaOH + FeCl 3
→ ←
Fe(OH ) 3 ( s ) + 3 NaCl -
-
Addition of FeCl3 to NaOH replaces a univalent OH with univalent Cl ; thus, the ionic strength is unchanged. (c) 3AgNO3
+ FeCl 3 → Fe( NO 3 ) 3 + 3AgCl( s ) ← +
3+
Addition of FeCl3 replaces the univalent Ag with the trivalent Fe ; thus, the ionic strength increases.
10-5
2+
+
The initial slope of the change of activity coefficient for Ca is steeper than that for K
because activity coefficients for multiply-charged ions deviate from ideality (unity) more than activity coefficients for singly-charged ions.
10-6
The chemical species NH3 is not charged; therefore, the activity coefficient is unity.