Fe+3 strong acid in aqueous solution?

[dadasolee]

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Why would the smallest cation with the greatest charge yield the strongest acid in aqueous solution?

i.e. Fe+3 is stronger acid than Ca+2, Cu+2, and Zn+2.

 

[inaccensa]

Why would the smallest cation with the greatest charge yield the strongest acid in aqueous solution?

i.e. Fe+3 is stronger acid than Ca+2, Cu+2, and Zn+2.

Doesn't that have to do with polarizability? Larger sizes can polarize better than smaller ones in aqueous solution.

 

[Isoprop]

Small size with a bigger charge means stronger electrostatic interactions with other anions.

In water, what anions are present? OH-. Smaller cations with bigger charges will bind more strongly with OH-.

[H+]*[OH-] = 10^-14
If free [OH-] goes down, [H+] goes up.