Which is a stronger acid HCl or HF

Question

and why

Answer 1

Very strong hydrogen bonding between the un-ionised hydrogen fluoride molecules and water molecules. This costs quite a lot of energy to break, and doesn't occur in the other hydrogen halides.

A large decrease in entropy when the hydrogen fluoride molecules react with water. This is particularly noticeable with hydrogen fluoride because the attractiveness of the very small fluoride ions produced imposes a lot of order on the surrounding water molecules, and also on nearby hydroxonium ions. The effect falls as the halide ions get bigger.

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Answer 2

HCl is considered a stronger acid because it readily dissociates in water.  HF, on the other hand, is a highly corrosive acid (which leads many people to consider it pretty strong) but it doesn't dissociate like HCl.  So while HF is probably more corrosive, HCl is the "stronger acid."

Answer 3

HCl.

The natural guess would be HF, since F is more electronegative than Cl.  But F forms hydrogen bonds with water molecules and effectively encapsulates itself so that it cannot ionize.

Therefore HF is actually a weak acid.

It does have the unusual property of being able to react with SiO2, glass, and therefore has to be stored in a plastic bottle.  HF is used to etch glass and created a frosted look for dinner wear and other decorated uses of glass.

Answer 4

HCL

Spilled on humans HCL will damage everything. A person will become slimy goo.

HF spilled on humans will seek out calcium. It does more damage to the bones than the tissues. A person will be come a spineless blob of skin and muscle.

That is why sometime HF is mixed with Nitric Acid. So if splashed or spilled on a person the nitric would cause a burning sensation. Whereas when HF by itself splash on a person, the person would not know until it is too late.