Consider a salt of a weak base and a weak acid such as ammonium cyanide. Both the

Question:

Consider a salt of a weak base and a weak acid such as ammonium cyanide. Both the NH₄⁺ and CN⁻ ions interact with water in aqueous solution, but the net reaction can be considered as a proton transfer from(a) Show that the equilibrium constant for this reaction, K_net, is

where K_a is the ionization constant for the weak acid NH₄⁺ and K_b is the constant for the weak base CN⁻.
(b) Calculate K_net values for each of the following: NH₄CN, NH₄CH₃CO₂, and NH₄F. Which salt has the largest value of K_net and why?
(c) Predict whether a solution of each of the compounds in (b) is acidic or basic. Explain how you made this prediction. (You do not need a calculation to make this prediction.)