16.4 pH Calculations for Strong Acids and Bases | General Chemistry

Chad provides a comprehensive lesson on how to calculate the pH for solutions of Strong Acids or Strong Bases. As strong acids dissociate completely, calculating the H+ concentration is typically straightforward. From there you simply take the negative log to obtain the pH. Though H2SO4 is a polyprotic, strong acid, only the first H+ is strongly acidic and the small difference the second H+ makes is discussed. Finally, the unusual case of a very, very, VERY dilute solution of a strong acid is discussed and why the pH of such a solution is essentially still 7.

As strong bases dissociate completely calculating the OH- concentration is typically straightforward. As the Group 2 metal hydroxides have 2 OH- in the formula (for example Ba(OH)2) this must be accounted for as both hydroxide ions dissociate completely. From there you simply take the negative log to obtain the pOH and then subtract from 14 to obtain the pH. Finally, the unusual case of a very, very, VERY dilute solution of a strong base is discussed and why the pH of such a solution is essentially still 7.

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00:00 Lesson Introduction
00:26 Calculating the pH of Strong Acids
03:38 pH of H2SO4 Solutions
05:56 pH of VERY Dilute Strong Acids
07:35 Calculating the pH of Strong Bases
08:50 pH of Ba(OH)2 Solutions
10:50 pH of VERY Dilute Strong Bases

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