NaHCO3, How do you know it is weak base?
Started by atlanta213
uhhh actually i think thats a strong base, because its the conjugate base of a weak acid carbonic acid H2CO3...
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yea im goin right now hahah, i thoguht i would just post my last thread of the day haha
However kaplan said it is weak base..... that's why i am so confusing
Well it still has one hydrogen which could act as an acid! So I wouldn't say it's a strong base, although it is a conjugate base of a weak acid. However, if it was Na2CO3, then I would say it's a strong base!
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Dude I don't get why NaHCO3 is a strong base! It could be both basic and acidic:
In neutral solutions it ionizes to Na+ + HCO3-.
The HCO3- can either donate its proton (acid) or accept another (base).
in strong basic solution:
HCO3- + OH- --> CO32- + H2O
in strong acidic solution:
HCO3- + H+ --> H2CO3
How could it be a strong base if it still carries a hydrogen? Actually it's more of a buffer!
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H2CO3 is not a strong acid. Just because it is diprotic, doesnt make it strong. The strong acids are
1)HNO3
2)H2SO4
3)HCl
4)HBr
5)HI
6)HClO4
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Therefore HCO3- is not a strong base. You should know from bio that HCO3 is a buffer in the body. Now how are we gonna have a strong base acting like a buffer. You all know that that wouldnt work. A buffer is a weak base and its cojugate weak acid only.
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bicarb is definitely a weak base.... that's why it shows up so often in extractions. it will take a H from the more acidic carboxylic acid (so becomes ionized and you get it in the aqueous layer) but leave the H on an alcohol (so it stays in the ether).
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OK this post was edited, because it wanst here earlier today.
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