How pH and pKa Are Related?

pH vs pKa

pH is a measure of the concentration of hydrogen ions in an aqueous solution. pKa (acid dissociation constant) is related, but more specific, in that it helps you predict what a molecule will do at a specific pH. Essentially, pKa tells you what the pH needs to be in order for a chemical species to donate or accept a proton.

• The lower the pH, the higher the concentration of hydrogen ions, [H+]. The lower the pKa, the stronger the acid and the greater its ability to donate protons.
• pH depends on the concentration of the solution. This is important because it means a weak acid could actually have a lower pH than a diluted strong acid. For example, concentrated vinegar (acetic acid, which is a weak acid) could have a lower pH than a dilute solution of hydrochloric acid (a strong acid). On the other hand, the pKa value is a constant for each type of molecule. It is unaffected by concentration.
• Even a chemical ordinarily considered a base can have a pKa value because the terms "acids" and "bases" simply refer to whether a species will give up protons (acid) or remove them (base). For example, if you have a base Y with a pKa of 13, it will accept protons and form YH, but when the pH exceeds 13, YH will be deprotonated and become Y. Because Y removes protons at a pH greater than the pH of neutral water (7), it is considered a base.

Relating pH and pKa With the Henderson-Hasselbalch Equation

If you know either pH or pKa you can solve for the other value using an approximation called the Henderson-Hasselbalch equation:

pH is the sum of the pKa value and the log of the concentration of the conjugate base divided by the concentration of the weak acid.

At half the equivalence point:

pH = pKa

It's worth noting sometimes this equation is written for the Ka value rather than pKa, so you should know the relationship:

pKa = -logKa

Assumptions That Are Made for the Henderson-Hasselbalch Equation

The reason the Henderson-Hasselbalch equation is an approximation is because it takes water chemistry out of the equation. This works when water is the solvent and is present in a very large proportion to the [H+] and acid/conjugate base. You shouldn't try to apply the approximation for concentrated solutions. Use the approximation only when the following conditions are met:

• -1 < log ([A-]/[HA]) < 1
• Molarity of buffers should be 100x greater than that of the acid ionization constant Ka.
• Only use strong acids or strong bases if the pKa values fall between 5 and 9. Continue reading..