Equivalent weight of an element
In the case of an element, the equivalent weight is defined as :
Equivalent weight,E=
Atomic weight Valency
=A x
Note that atomic weight substitutes molecular weight and valency substitutes valence factor in the definition. Valencies of hydrogen, calcium and oxygen are 1,2 and 2 respectively. Hence, their equivalent weights are 1/1 =1, 40/2 = 20 and 16/2 = 8 respectively.
Equivalent weight of an acid
The valence factor of an acid is equal to its basicity. The basicity of an acid is equal to furnishable hydrogen ion (proton) in its aqueous solution. Importantly, basicity is not same as the number of hydrogen atoms in acid molecule. Consider acetic acid (CH3COOH). It contains 4 hydrogen atoms in it, but only 1 furnishable hydrogen ion. As such, basicity of acetic acid is 1. With this background, we define equivalent weight of an acid as :
Equivalent weight,E=
Molecular weight of acid Basicity
Basicity of sulphuric acid is 2. Hence, equivalent weight of sulphuric acid (H2SO4) is (2X1 + 32 + 4X16)/2 = 98/2 = 49. Similarly, basicity of oxalic acid is 2. Hence, equivalent weight of oxalic acid (H2C2O4 ) is (2X1 + 2X12 + 4X16)/2 = 90/2=45.
Phosphorous based acids like phosphoric acid (H3PO4 ), phosphorous acid (H3PO3) and hypo-phosphorous acid (H3PO2) need special mention here to understand their basicity. The structures of three acids are shown here. From the structure, it appears that these compounds may furnish OH ions, but bond strengths between phosphorous and oxygen (P-O) and phosphorous and hydrogen (P-H) are stronger than between oxygen and hydrogen (O-H) in –OH group. As such, these molecules release hydrogen ions from –OH group and behave as acid. Clearly, basicities of phosphoric acid (H3PO4), phosphorous acid (H3PO3) and hypo-phosphorous acid (H3PO2) are 3, 2 and 1 respectively.
Figure 1: Furnishable hydrogen ions of acids Phosphorous based acids 
Equivalent weight of a base
The valence factor of a base is equal to its acidity. The acidity of a base is equal to furnishable hydroxyl ion (OH-) in its aqueous solution. With this background, we define equivalent weight of a base as :
Equivalent weight,E=
Molecular weight of base Acidity
Acidity of KOH is 1, whereas acidity of Ca(OH)2 is 2. Hence, equivalent weight of KOH is (39 + 16 + 1)/1 = 56/1 = 56. Similarly, equivalent weight of Ca(OH)2 is {40 + 2X(16+1)}/2 = 74/2=37.
Equivalent weight of a compound
The valence factor of a compound depends on the manner a compound is involved in a reaction. The compounds of alkali metal salts and alkaline earth metal salts are, however, constant. These compounds are ionic and they dissociate in ionic components in aqueous solution. In this case, valence factor is equal to numbers of electronic charge on either cation or anion.
Equivalent weight,E=
Molecular weight of compound Numbers of electronic charge on cation or anion
The numbers of electronic charge on cation of NaHCO3 is 1. Hence, equivalent weight of NaHCO3 is (23 + 1 + 12 + 3X16)/1 = 84.
If we look at the defining ratio of equivalent weight of a compound (AB) formed of two radicals (say A and B), then we can rearrange the ratio as :
Equivalent weight, E=
Molecular weight of Radical A Numbers of electronic charge
+Molecular weight of Radical B Numbers of electronic charge
Thus,
⇒Equivalent weight of AB=Equivalent weight of A+Equivalent weight of B
Equivalent weight of an ion
The valence factor of an ion is equal to numbers of electronic charge on the ion. Therefore, we define equivalent weight of an ion as :
Equivalent weight,E=
Molecular weight of ion Numbers of electronic charge
The numbers of electronic charge on carbonate ion (CO32− ) is 2. Hence, equivalent weight of carbonate ion is (12 + 3X16)/1 = 60/2 = 30. Similarly, equivalent weight of aluminum ion (Al3+) is 27/3 = 9.
Equivalent weight of an oxidizing or reducing agent
In a redox reaction, one of the reacting entities is oxidizing agent (OA). The other entity is reducing agent (RA). The oxidizer is recipient of electrons, whereas reducer is releaser of electrons. The valence factor for either an oxidizing or reducing agent is equal to the numbers of electrons transferred from one entity to another.
Equivalent weight,E=
Molecular weight of compound Numbers of electrons transferred in redox reaction
Alternatively,
Equivalent weight,E=
Molecular weight of compound Change in oxidation number in redox reaction
Potassium dichromate in acidic medium is a strong oxidizer. It means it gains electrons during redox reaction. Potassium dichromate in acidic solution results in :
K2Cr2O7+14H++6e−→2K++2Cr3++7H2O
Equivalent weight ofK2Cr2O7=
294.2 6
=49Study of redox reaction is in itself an exclusive and extensive topic. We shall, therefore, discuss redox reaction separately.
Equivalent weight of an element
In the case of an element, the equivalent weight is defined as :
Equivalent weight,E=
| Atomic weight |
| Valency |
| A |
| x |
Note that atomic weight substitutes molecular weight and valency substitutes valence factor in the definition. Valencies of hydrogen, calcium and oxygen are 1,2 and 2 respectively. Hence, their equivalent weights are 1/1 =1, 40/2 = 20 and 16/2 = 8 respectively.
Equivalent weight of an acid
The valence factor of an acid is equal to its basicity. The basicity of an acid is equal to furnishable hydrogen ion (proton) in its aqueous solution. Importantly, basicity is not same as the number of hydrogen atoms in acid molecule. Consider acetic acid (CH3COOH). It contains 4 hydrogen atoms in it, but only 1 furnishable hydrogen ion. As such, basicity of acetic acid is 1. With this background, we define equivalent weight of an acid as :
Equivalent weight,E=
| Molecular weight of acid |
| Basicity |
Basicity of sulphuric acid is 2. Hence, equivalent weight of sulphuric acid (H2SO4) is (2X1 + 32 + 4X16)/2 = 98/2 = 49. Similarly, basicity of oxalic acid is 2. Hence, equivalent weight of oxalic acid (H2C2O4 ) is (2X1 + 2X12 + 4X16)/2 = 90/2=45.
Phosphorous based acids like phosphoric acid (H3PO4 ), phosphorous acid (H3PO3) and hypo-phosphorous acid (H3PO2) need special mention here to understand their basicity. The structures of three acids are shown here. From the structure, it appears that these compounds may furnish OH ions, but bond strengths between phosphorous and oxygen (P-O) and phosphorous and hydrogen (P-H) are stronger than between oxygen and hydrogen (O-H) in –OH group. As such, these molecules release hydrogen ions from –OH group and behave as acid. Clearly, basicities of phosphoric acid (H3PO4), phosphorous acid (H3PO3) and hypo-phosphorous acid (H3PO2) are 3, 2 and 1 respectively.
| Phosphorous based acids |
|---|
|
Equivalent weight of a base
The valence factor of a base is equal to its acidity. The acidity of a base is equal to furnishable hydroxyl ion (OH-) in its aqueous solution. With this background, we define equivalent weight of a base as :
Equivalent weight,E=
| Molecular weight of base |
| Acidity |
Acidity of KOH is 1, whereas acidity of Ca(OH)2 is 2. Hence, equivalent weight of KOH is (39 + 16 + 1)/1 = 56/1 = 56. Similarly, equivalent weight of Ca(OH)2 is {40 + 2X(16+1)}/2 = 74/2=37.
Equivalent weight of a compound
The valence factor of a compound depends on the manner a compound is involved in a reaction. The compounds of alkali metal salts and alkaline earth metal salts are, however, constant. These compounds are ionic and they dissociate in ionic components in aqueous solution. In this case, valence factor is equal to numbers of electronic charge on either cation or anion.
Equivalent weight,E=
| Molecular weight of compound |
| Numbers of electronic charge on cation or anion |
The numbers of electronic charge on cation of NaHCO3 is 1. Hence, equivalent weight of NaHCO3 is (23 + 1 + 12 + 3X16)/1 = 84.
If we look at the defining ratio of equivalent weight of a compound (AB) formed of two radicals (say A and B), then we can rearrange the ratio as :
Equivalent weight, E=
| Molecular weight of Radical A |
| Numbers of electronic charge |
| Molecular weight of Radical B |
| Numbers of electronic charge |
Thus,
⇒Equivalent weight of AB=Equivalent weight of A+Equivalent weight of B
Equivalent weight of an ion
The valence factor of an ion is equal to numbers of electronic charge on the ion. Therefore, we define equivalent weight of an ion as :
Equivalent weight,E=
| Molecular weight of ion |
| Numbers of electronic charge |
The numbers of electronic charge on carbonate ion (CO32− ) is 2. Hence, equivalent weight of carbonate ion is (12 + 3X16)/1 = 60/2 = 30. Similarly, equivalent weight of aluminum ion (Al3+) is 27/3 = 9.
Equivalent weight of an oxidizing or reducing agent
In a redox reaction, one of the reacting entities is oxidizing agent (OA). The other entity is reducing agent (RA). The oxidizer is recipient of electrons, whereas reducer is releaser of electrons. The valence factor for either an oxidizing or reducing agent is equal to the numbers of electrons transferred from one entity to another.
Equivalent weight,E=
| Molecular weight of compound |
| Numbers of electrons transferred in redox reaction |
Alternatively,
Equivalent weight,E=
| Molecular weight of compound |
| Change in oxidation number in redox reaction |
Potassium dichromate in acidic medium is a strong oxidizer. It means it gains electrons during redox reaction. Potassium dichromate in acidic solution results in :
K2Cr2O7+14H++6e−→2K++2Cr3++7H2O
Equivalent weight ofK2Cr2O7=
| 294.2 |
| 6 |
Study of redox reaction is in itself an exclusive and extensive topic. We shall, therefore, discuss redox reaction separately.
10 comments:
Amazing content
Amazin content
Thanx for helping us.You are doing a great job keep it up.
Great.. helped me a lot
Nice
Very informative.. thank you :)
Thank you so much!
One can never face to something else if would get such systematically arranged and informative content.
Hi sir! About the valence electron, do we need to use the negative charge? Or just ignore the negative sign?
Great explained sir chemwifi
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