"NaH"_2"PO"_4NaH2PO4 dissociates completely in solution:
"NaH"_2"PO"_4 → "Na"^"+" + "H"_2"PO"_4^"-"NaH2PO4→Na++H2PO-4
The dihydrogen phosphate ion is a weak acid:
"H"_2"PO"_4^"-" + "H"_2"O" ⇌ "H"_3"O"^"+" + "HPO"_4^"2-"; K_text(a) = 6.23 × 10^"-8"H2PO-4+H2O⇌H3O++HPO2-4;Ka=6.23×10-8
We can use an ICE table to calculate the concentrations of the ions in solution.
Let's rewrite the equation as
color(white)(mmmmmmmm)"HA"^"-" +color(white)(ll) "H"_2"O" ⇌ "H"_3"O"^"+" + "A"^"2-"mmmmmmmmHA-+llH2O⇌H3O++A2-
"I/mol·L"^"-1":color(white)(mmm)0.1color(white)(mmmmmmmll)0color(white)(mmm)0I/mol⋅L-1:mmm0.1mmmmmmmll0mmm0
"C/mol·L"^"-1":color(white)(mmm)"-"xcolor(white)(mmmmmmml)"+"xcolor(white)(mm)"+"xC/mol⋅L-1:mmm-xmmmmmmml+xmm+x
"E/mol·L"^"-1":color(white)(mm)"0.1 -"xcolor(white)(mmmmmmm)xcolor(white)(mmm)xE/mol⋅L-1:mm0.1 -xmmmmmmmxmmmx
K_text(a) = (["H"_3"O"^"+"]["A"^"2-"])/(["HA"]) = (x × x)/("0.1 -"color(white)(l)x) = x^2/("0.1 -"color(white)(l)x) = 6.23 × 10^"-8"Ka=[H3O+][A2-][HA]=x×x0.1 -lx=x20.1 -lx=6.23×10-8
Check for negligibility:
0.1/(6.23 × 10^"-8") = 2 × 10^6 ≫ 4000.16.23×10-8=2×106≫400.
∴ x ≪ 0.1x≪0.1.
Then
x^2/0.1 = 6.23 × 10^"-8"x20.1=6.23×10-8
x^2 = 0.1 × 6.23 × 10^"-8" = 6.2 × 10^"-9"x2=0.1×6.23×10-8=6.2×10-9
x = 7.9 × 10^"-5"x=7.9×10-5
["H"_3"O"^"+"] = x color(white)(l)"mol/L" = 7.9 × 10^"-5"color(white)(l)"mol/L"[H3O+]=xlmol/L=7.9×10-5lmol/L
"pH" = "-log"["H"_3"O"^"+"] = "-log"(7.9 × 10^"-5") = 4.10pH=-log[H3O+]=-log(7.9×10-5)=4.10