Citric acid is a triprotic acid with three carboxylic acid groups having pKa values of 3.1,4.8,and 6.4.If a solution of citric acid has a pH of 5.5,what can be said about the predominant protonation state of the citric acid?
A)1 carboxylic acid group is deprotonated,2 are protonated B)2 carboxylic acid groups are deprotonated,1 is protonated C)all 3 carboxylic acid groups are deprotonated D)all 3 carboxylic acid groups are protonated E)the protonation state cannot be determined