Question

Arrange the following as per the instruction given in the bracket:

Sulphuric acid, Phosphoric acid, Acetic acid (increasing order of number of replaceable H atoms per molecule).

Answer 1

Acetic acid < sulphuric acid < phosphoric acid.

Explanation:

Acetic acid is \[\ce{CH3COOH}\] when it ionizes, it has only one \[\ce{H+}\] ion \[\ce{(CH3COOH - CH3COO− + H+)}\] While sulphuric has 2 replaceable Hydrogen atoms \[\ce{(H2SO4 -> 2H^+ + SO^{2- }_4)}\]. Phosporic acid is \[\ce{H3PO5}\] which ionises to give 3-H atoms \[\ce{(H3PO4 = 3H+ + PO_4^{3-})}\].