A solution that is at a pH of 1 __ than a solution with a pH of 9.
A.
has fewer hydrogen ions
B.
has more hydrogen ions
C.
has an equal number of hydrogen ions
D.
is less concentrated
The correct answer and Explanation is :
The correct answer is:
B. has more hydrogen ions
Explanation:
pH is a measure of the concentration of hydrogen ions (H⁺) in a solution. It is defined as the negative logarithm (base 10) of the hydrogen ion concentration:
[ \text{pH} = -\log[H⁺] ]
A lower pH value corresponds to a higher concentration of hydrogen ions, while a higher pH value indicates a lower concentration of hydrogen ions.
- Understanding pH Values:
- The pH scale ranges from 0 to 14, where 7 is neutral. Solutions with pH values less than 7 are acidic, and those with pH values greater than 7 are basic or alkaline.
- A solution with a pH of 1 is highly acidic. The concentration of hydrogen ions in this solution is very high.
- Conversely, a solution with a pH of 9 is basic, meaning the concentration of hydrogen ions is much lower.
- Quantifying Hydrogen Ion Concentration:
- The pH scale is logarithmic, which means that each unit change in pH represents a tenfold change in the concentration of hydrogen ions.
- For example, a solution with a pH of 1 has a hydrogen ion concentration of (10^{-1}) mol/L, which is 10 times higher than a solution with a pH of 2 ((10^{-2}) mol/L).
- Similarly, a solution with a pH of 9 has a hydrogen ion concentration of (10^{-9}) mol/L.
- Comparing pH 1 and pH 9:
- Since pH 1 is much lower than pH 9, the concentration of hydrogen ions in a solution with pH 1 is exponentially higher than that in a solution with pH 9.
- Specifically, the concentration of hydrogen ions in a pH 1 solution is (10^{8}) times greater than in a pH 9 solution.
Therefore, a solution with a pH of 1 has more hydrogen ions compared to a solution with a pH of 9.