Is HCN a strong acid?
Understand the Problem
The question is asking whether hydrogen cyanide (HCN) is classified as a strong acid or not. To answer, we need to understand the properties of HCN in terms of its ionization in water compared to strong acids.
Answer
HCN is a weak acid.
Hydrocyanic acid (HCN) is a weak acid.
Answer for screen readers
Hydrocyanic acid (HCN) is a weak acid.
More Information
Hydrocyanic acid (HCN) has a weak acidity because it does not completely dissociate in water. Its pKa value is around 9.2, reflecting its relatively low tendency to donate protons.
Tips
A common mistake is to assume HCN is a strong acid because it contains hydrogen and cyanide. However, in aqueous solutions, it doesn't fully dissociate, characteristic of weak acids.
Sources
- Acids and Bases - Chemistry LibreTexts - chem.libretexts.org
- Chemistry of Cyanides & Cyanogens - Royal Society of Chemistry - pubs.rsc.org
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