Using principles discussed in chapters 15 and 19,determine which of the following is the strongest acid. A)HClO B)HClO₂ C)HClO₃ D)HClO₄

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The strength of an acid increases as the stability of its conjugate base increases. In this case, the conjugate bases are ClO-, ClO2-, ClO3-, and ClO4- for options A, B, C, and D respectively. 
As the number of oxygen atoms in the anion increases, the stability of the anion increases due to resonance effects. This means that the strength of the corresponding acid increases as well. Therefore, HClO4 (option D) is the strongest acid among the given options because its conjugate base, ClO4-, is the most stable among the four anions.

Using Principles Discussed in Chapters 15 and 19,determine Which of the Following