---
title: "A student investigates the relative base strengths of three nitrogen-containing compounds in aqueous solution at \\(298\\text{ K}\\). The student records the experimental data shown in the table below.  | Compound name | Molecular formula | Structural formula | \\(K_b\\) at \\(298\\text{ K}\\) | | :— | :— | :— | :— | | Ethylamine | \\(\\text{C}_2\\text{H}_7\\text{N}\\) | \\(\\text{CH}_3\\text{CH}_2\\text{NH}_2\\) | \\(5.0 \\times 10^{-4}\\) | | Ammonia | \\(\\text{NH}_3\\) | \\(\\text{NH}_3\\) | \\(1.8 \\times 10^{-5}\\) | | Acetamide | \\(\\text{C}_2\\text{H}_5\\text{NO}\\) | \\(\\text{CH}_3\\text{CONH}_2\\) | \\(1.0 \\times 10^{-14}\\) |  Which of the following statements correctly compares the base strength of acetamide to that of ethylamine and provides the valid structural justification?"
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url: "https://nerd-notes.com/ubq/123793/"
date_modified: "2026-09-28T12:30:19+00:00"
---

# A student investigates the relative base strengths of three nitrogen-containing compounds in aqueous solution at \(298\text{ K}\). The student records the experimental data shown in the table below.

| Compound name | Molecular formula | Structural formula | \(K_b\) at \(298\text{ K}\) |
| :— | :— | :— | :— |
| Ethylamine | \(\text{C}_2\text{H}_7\text{N}\) | \(\text{CH}_3\text{CH}_2\text{NH}_2\) | \(5.0 \times 10^{-4}\) |
| Ammonia | \(\text{NH}_3\) | \(\text{NH}_3\) | \(1.8 \times 10^{-5}\) |
| Acetamide | \(\text{C}_2\text{H}_5\text{NO}\) | \(\text{CH}_3\text{CONH}_2\) | \(1.0 \times 10^{-14}\) |

Which of the following statements correctly compares the base strength of acetamide to that of ethylamine and provides the valid structural justification?

A student investigates the relative base strengths of three nitrogen-containing compounds in aqueous solution at \(298\text{ K}\). The student records the experimental data shown in the table below.

| Compound name | Molecular formula | Structural formula | \(K_b\) at \(298\text{ K}\) |
| :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- |
| Ethylamine | \(\text{C}_2\text{H}_7\text{N}\) | \(\text{CH}_3\text{CH}_2\text{NH}_2\) | \(5.0 \times 10^{-4}\) |
| Ammonia | \(\text{NH}_3\) | \(\text{NH}_3\) | \(1.8 \times 10^{-5}\) |
| Acetamide | \(\text{C}_2\text{H}_5\text{NO}\) | \(\text{CH}_3\text{CONH}_2\) | \(1.0 \times 10^{-14}\) |

Which of the following statements correctly compares the base strength of acetamide to that of ethylamine and provides the valid structural justification?

- **A.** Acetamide is a weaker base than ethylamine because the nonbonding electron pair on the nitrogen atom in acetamide is delocalized into the adjacent carbonyl group through resonance, decreasing its availability to accept a proton.
- **B.** Acetamide is a weaker base than ethylamine because the oxygen atom has a lower electronegativity than the nitrogen atom, causing electron density to shift toward nitrogen and electrostatically repelling incoming protons.
- **C.** Acetamide is a stronger base than ethylamine because the electronegative carbonyl oxygen atom pulls electron density toward the nitrogen atom, increasing the availability of the nitrogen lone pair to accept a proton.
- **D.** Acetamide is a stronger base than ethylamine because the nonpolar ethyl group in ethylamine donates electron density that repels protons, preventing coordinate covalent bond formation at the nitrogen atom.

*The answer key and step-by-step explanation are available to logged-in users at https://nerd-notes.com/ubq/123793/*