cesium hydroxide vs hydroflouric acid

[r1dermon]

what would happen if i dumped some cesium hydroxide into hydroflouric acid? one of the strongest bases vs. one of the strongest acids...

[budullewraagh]

actually, hydrofluoric acid isn't so strong of an acid. if you reacted the two, you'd end up with cesium fluoride and water vapor mostly. the reaction is quite vigorous

[fermions]

I think there are some superacids that doesn't seem to contain H ions but is thousands times stronger than concentrated sulphuric acid... wonder how it works...

[Gilded]

I don't know what's the case with HF:SbF5. 50% solution is 10^18 (yes, billion billion) times stronger than super concentrated sulfuric acid.

[pulkit]

It depends totally on which concept of acid-base do you use.

 

The H and OH ion is the Arrhenius concept of acid and bases.

You also have the Bronstead concept.

But the most general one is the Lewis concept. It can explain how chemicals with no H such as SbF5 and AlCl3 are acidic in nature.

[r1dermon]

well, how low is hydroflouric on the Ph scale? i saw it on http://www.power-labs.com, it ate through a glass vile in under a minute, and would tear your hand off pretty fast.

[YT2095]

I`m not sure I totaly agree with ALL of Lewis`s work, he did alot based around ammonia, he seemed somewhat fixated on that chem

a bit like Pauling in his later years fixated on Vitamins, some of which has since been dissproven to be false (esp the Vit A trials).

 

however, back to the topic, HF(aq) is not only dangerous in respect of it`s corrosive properties towards flesh, it also acts as an anaesthetic, so you don`t actualy even feel it burn you!

[r1dermon]

now thats cool.

[YT2095]

did I mention how Toxic Fluorine is also?

[Gilded]

"I just dissolved my finger and I'm feeling super about it!" :<

[YT2095]

"I just dissolved my finger and I'm feeling super about it!" :<

look on the bright side, your Teeth will be lovely and shiney white

[r1dermon]

yeah YT, i've seen the reaction and how much vapor it produces(HF vs. glass) its definately no joke, as one wiff is certain death. in fact, there was so much vapor, that even next to a window, it filled the room and the proceedure had to be evacuated before it found its way through the double filtered gas mask that was being used. i'd say it aint no joke.

[pulkit]

well, how low is hydroflouric on the Ph scale? i saw it on www.power-labs.com[/url'], it ate through a glass vile in under a minute, and would tear your hand off pretty fast.

 

pH is good for comparison, under a particular concentration. You should look at degree of dissociation, which for HF is quite low. It might dissolve glass but it is a weak acid. Weaker than HCl and much much weaker than HI.

[jdurg]

Yeah, HF is pretty weak because the Fluoride ion really likes to hold on to the Hydrogen atom, therefore it does not like to dissociate into H+ and F-. I think hydrofluoric acid kind of proves how arbitrary the "strong"/"weak" designations are when describing acids. (I.E. HF is weak, but I'd rather spill a strong acid such as HCl on my hand than HF).

[r1dermon]

well, the HF molecule is a lot smaller, allowing it to sink into your skin pores a lot quicker and circ through the blood stream. there have been many fatalities as a result of improper use of HF acid.

[budullewraagh]

and because the fluoride anion will replace most other anions in salts that have relatively active cations

[akcapr]

is HF acid more corrosive than acids like HCL and H2SO4?

[budullewraagh]

incredibly more so, at equal concentrations, only because of the insanity that is fluorine