KOH is a strong base, which means it completely dissociates in water to form K+ and OH- ions. The reaction can be represented as follows:
KOH (aq) → K+ (aq) + OH- (aq)
Since KOH completely dissociates, the concentration of OH- ions in the solution is equal to the initial concentration of KOH, which is 4.8x10-2 M.
Now, we can use the relationship between H+ and OH- ions in water, known as the ionic product of water (Kw), to calculate the H+ ion concentration. The Kw value for water at 25°C is 1.0x10-14.
The Kw expression is given by:
Kw = [H+] [OH-] = 1.0x10-14
We can rearrange this expression to solve for [H+]:
[H+] = Kw/[OH-]
Substituting the given [OH-] value into the equation:
[H+] = 1.0x10-14 / 4.8x10-2 M
[H+] ≈ 2.08x10-13 M
Therefore, the H+ ion concentration in a 4.8x10-2 M KOH solution is approximately 2.08x10-13 M.
