Westonci.ca makes finding answers easy, with a community of experts ready to provide you with the information you seek. Ask your questions and receive precise answers from experienced professionals across different disciplines. Get quick and reliable solutions to your questions from a community of experienced experts on our platform.

The concentration ratio of conjugate acid to conjugate base for a 20 mM solution at pH 7.0 of an amino acid is 20:1.

Required:
a. What is the pK of the side chain?
b. What amino acid might this be?


Sagot :

Answer:

a. 8.3= pKa of the aminoacid

b. Cysteine

Explanation:

The pH of an acid can be obtained using the H-H equation:

pH = pKa + log [A-] / [HA]

Where pH is the pH of the buffer = 7.0

pKa is the pka of the conjugate acid = ?

[A-] / [HA] is the ratio between conjugate base and conjugate acid. As the ratio of conjugate acid to conjugate base = 20:1, the [A-] / [HA] = 1/20

Replacing:

7 = pKa + log 1/20

7 = pKa - 1.30

7+1.30 = 8.3 = pKa of the aminoacid

The only aminoacid with a side chain with pKa = 8.3 is:

Cysteine. Allowing its identification.