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This is about carboxylic acids - AQA - GCSE Chemistry - Question 7 - 2020 - Paper 2
Question 7
This is about carboxylic acids. Carboxylic acids belong to a homologous series. Table 3 shows information about the first three carboxylic acids in this homologous ... show full transcript
Worked Solution & Example Answer:This is about carboxylic acids - AQA - GCSE Chemistry - Question 7 - 2020 - Paper 2
Step 1
Step 2
Explain how the equation shows that ethanoic acid is a weak acid.
Answer
The equation shows that ethanoic acid undergoes partial ionisation. The reversible arrow (⇌) indicates that the reaction does not go to completion, meaning only a fraction of the ethanoic acid molecules ionise to form hydrogen ions and acetate ions. This characteristic reflects that ethanoic acid is a weak acid.
Step 3
Explain what happens to the mass of the flask and its contents during the reaction.
Answer
The mass of the flask and its contents decreases because carbon dioxide is produced during the reaction. As zinc carbonate reacts with the ethanoic acid, carbon dioxide gas escapes from the flask, resulting in a loss of mass.
Step 4
Explain why the rate of the reaction with methanoic acid is greater than with ethanoic acid.
Answer
The rate of reaction with methanoic acid is greater because it has a lower pH. A lower pH implies a higher concentration of hydrogen ions. This results in more collisions between the reactants per unit time, leading to a faster reaction rate compared to ethanoic acid.
Step 5
Step 6