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Intext · Q25

Q.Why is Ka2 > Ka1 for H2SO4 in water?

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Step 1 — Two-step ionisation of H2SO4H_2SO_4.

H2SO4→H++HSO4−(Ka1, essentially complete, H2SO4 is a strong acid in this step)H_2SO_4 \rightarrow H^+ + HSO_4^- \quad (K_{a1}, \text{ essentially complete, } H_2SO_4 \text{ is a strong acid in this step})

HSO4−⇌H++SO42−(Ka2, only partial)HSO_4^- \rightleftharpoons H^+ + SO_4^{2-} \quad (K_{a2}, \text{ only partial})

Step 2 — Electrostatic reasoning.

Removing the first proton takes H+H^+ away from the neutral molecule H2SO4H_2SO_4 — relatively easy, since there is no charge to overcome. Removing the second proton, however, means pulling H+H^+ away from the already negatively charged HSO4−HSO_4^- ion; the electrostatic attraction between the departing H+H^+ and the negative HSO4−HSO_4^- ion makes this second separation significantly more difficult.

Step 3 — Result. …

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