For the following list of acids, rank the acids in strength from weakest acid to strongest acid.
HCL, HP, HSHS
Weakest Strongest
HS HP HSI HOI
The Correct Answer and Explanation is :
The correct ranking of the acids from weakest to strongest is:
HOI < HSI < HP < HCl
Explanation:
Acid strength is influenced by several factors, including bond strength, electronegativity, and molecular stability. Let’s analyze each acid:
- HOI (Hypoiodous Acid) – This is a weak oxyacid where the electronegative oxygen pulls electron density away from iodine, but due to the low electronegativity of iodine, the O-H bond remains strong. This makes it a weak acid.
- HSI (Hydrosulfuric Acid, H₂S) – Hydrogen sulfide is a weak acid because sulfur is not highly electronegative, meaning the H-S bond does not dissociate easily in water.
- HP (Hypophosphorous Acid, H₃PO₂) – This is a moderately strong acid. While phosphorus has some ability to stabilize the negative charge after losing a proton, it is not as effective as more electronegative atoms like chlorine.
- HCl (Hydrochloric Acid) – This is a very strong acid. Chlorine is highly electronegative, and the H-Cl bond is weak, making it highly dissociable in water. It completely ionizes, releasing protons easily.
Key Factors Determining Acid Strength:
- Electronegativity – The higher the electronegativity of the conjugate base’s central atom, the stronger the acid (HCl is stronger than HS due to Cl being more electronegative than S).
- Bond Strength – The weaker the H-X bond, the easier it dissociates in water, leading to a stronger acid.
- Resonance and Stability – If the conjugate base is stabilized through resonance or electronegativity, the acid is stronger.
Thus, the correct ranking is:
HOI (weakest) < HSI < HP < HCl (strongest).
Now, I’ll generate an image representing this ranking visually.
Here is the visual representation of the acid strength ranking. The image illustrates the acids from weakest (HOI) to strongest (HCl), with molecular structures and a gradient color scheme to indicate increasing acid strength. Let me know if you need any modifications!