Kw and water

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Dakota_Campbell_1C
Posts: 51
Joined: Fri Sep 28, 2018 12:15 am

Kw and water

Postby Dakota_Campbell_1C » Thu Jan 17, 2019 9:20 pm

In lecture we did the calculations for Kw, I am unsure what the significance of this constant is. I thought that water was not an important part of equilibrium, why do we calculate a constant for it and what is it used for?
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Aidan Ryan 1B
Posts: 60
Joined: Fri Sep 28, 2018 12:17 am

Re: Kw and water

Postby Aidan Ryan 1B » Thu Jan 17, 2019 9:57 pm

It is the addition of the Ka and Kb. It is used to solve for these.
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Parth Mungra
Posts: 72
Joined: Fri Sep 28, 2018 12:28 am

Re: Kw and water

Postby Parth Mungra » Thu Jan 17, 2019 9:57 pm

Kw is just the Equilibrium constant for water, which undergoes autoprotolysis, a natural reaction (very few water molecules do this). By doing this, there is a concentration of hydroxide and hydronium ions. If you take the Kc of this reaction, you find Kw, which is 10^-14 at 25 degrees Celsius
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