Answer:
The pH of a solution is related to the concentration of H3O+ ions by the equation:
pH = -log[H3O+]
Therefore, we can calculate the concentration of H3O+ ions in the solution as:
[H3O+] = 10^(-pH) = 10^(-0.20) = 0.63 M
Since the acid, HA, is a weak acid, it undergoes partial dissociation in water according to the equation:
HA(aq) + H2O(l) ⇌ A-(aq) + H3O+(aq)
where A- is the conjugate base of HA.
The equilibrium constant expression for this reaction is:
Ka = [A-][H3O+]/[HA]
At equilibrium, the concentration of HA that remains undissociated is equal to the initial concentration of the acid, since the dissociation is only partial.
Thus, we have:
[HA] = 1.20 M
[A-] = [H3O+] = 0.63 M
Substituting these values into the equilibrium constant expression, we get:
Ka = (0.63 M)^2 / (1.20 M) = 0.3315
Rounding to two significant figures, the Ka of the acid HA is 0.33.
Step-by-step explanation: