In which form will carboxylic acid, RCOOH, be present in an aqueous solution with pH greater than 7.0?
A) primarily as RCOOH(aq)
B) primarily as RCOO− (aq)
C) equal amounts of RCOOH(aq) and RCOO− (aq)
D) neither RCOOH(aq) nor RCOO− (aq)

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

In an aqueous solution with pH greater than 7.0, the environment is basic. This means that there will be an abundance of hydroxide ions (OH-) present. Carboxylic acids can act as weak acids, donating a proton (H+) to the solution. In a basic solution, this proton will be attracted to the hydroxide ions, forming water (H2O). The resulting ion will be the carboxylate anion (RCOO-), which is stable in basic conditions. Therefore, carboxylic acid will primarily be present in its ionized form (RCOO-) in an aqueous solution with pH greater than 7.0.

In Which Form Will Carboxylic Acid, RCOOH, Be Present in an Aqueous