The ion product of water is defined as Kw=[HX+][OHX−] and in pure water [HX+]=[OHX−]=1.0×10−7 and Kw=1.0×10−14. It is said that if we dissolve some acidic substance in water then [HX+] will increase and [OHX−] will decrease and the value of Kw remains constant. I understand that [HX+] increases because acids donate HX+ (according to Brønsted definition of acids) but how [OHX−] decreases. I mean a water molecule i.e. HX2O will certainly break into HX+ and OHX− and to this HX+ our acid has added it's part and hence it's concentration has increased but why the value of [OHX−] gets lowered from 1.0×10−14 , if water molecule were to ionize then whenever HX+ gets formed simultaneously we would get OHX−.
I can cite a common example problem
The concentration of OHX− ions in a certain household ammonia cleansing solution is 0.0025. Calculate the concentration of HX+ ions.
We can solve this problem by using the equation Kw=1.0×10−14 [HX+][OHX−]=1.0×10−14 and if put the value of [OHX−] in the above equation and solve [HX+], then we would get 4.0×10−12. Here we observe that the value of [HX+] has decreased from the it's original value in pure water, well this is understandable because ammonia being a base would consume HX+ but how the value of OHX− has increased.
I want to know that how the chemical reaction can cause the increase or decrease of OHX− when each molecule of HX2O always going to yield one HX+ and one OHX− always.
Thank you. Any help will be much appreciated.
Answer
Another way to look at the problem:
If we add HX+ to the water through adding acid, then some of the HX+ would just remain in the solution as is, and some of them would react with OHX− in the reaction HX++OHX−⟶HX2O. How much of the added HX+ reacts? To calculate this, you need to know that [HX+][OHX−]=KXw remains constant. So while HX+ is increased, OHX− is decreased through HX++OHX−⟶HX2O.
If we were to add OHX− to the water through bases, the same thing would happen: a portion would react with HX+ and a portion would remain in the solution, and it will happen in such a way that is dictated by the constant value of Kw.
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