The following is an email that I sent to a couple professors at The University of Washington regarding a table that appears on their website (a table with incorrect information {see below}*). Although I’m not special enough to have attended Havard I do know the correct formula for things like nitrite ion…
Dear Professors:
Not long ago I wished to look and see what tabulated information was available concerning acid strength. I ran across a table with the following address
http://depts.washington.edu/eooptic/links/acidstrength.html
I printed this table out and posted it next to a work computer and promptly forgot about it. During a fit of boredom I happened to glance over at it a few days later and noticed a number of errors in it. For example, the formulas for nitrite ion, carbonic acid, and hydrogen sulfite ion are all incorrect. As of yet, I haven’t given it much of a critical review but I wonder if this table contains other serious errors? I suggest you take time to review it extensively (including Ka values) and revise it.
Cheers,
Stew (Dr. Stewart P. Lewis)
* I’m invoking fair use since this posting is not for profit and only for educational purposes and by the fact that the table was not marked as being copyrighted. Should they request I remove it I’ll let my readers know…