Multiple Choice
At , what is the pH of pure distilled water?
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17. Acid and Base Equilibrium
The pH Scale
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Join thousands of students who trust us to help them ace their exams!Watch the first videoMultiple Choice
On the pH scale, pH is a measure of what quantity in an aqueous solution?
A
The total dissolved salt concentration in the solution
B
The concentration of hydroxide ions only ()
C
The concentration of hydrogen ions (acidity), related to
D
The temperature of the solution in degrees Celsius
Verified step by step guidance1
Understand that pH is a measure of the acidity of an aqueous solution, which is directly related to the concentration of hydrogen ions (H\textsuperscript{+}) present.
Recall the definition of pH, which is given by the formula:
\(pH = -\log\left(\left[H^{+}\right]\right)\), where \(\left[H^{+}\right]\) is the molar concentration of hydrogen ions.
Recognize that a lower pH value corresponds to a higher concentration of hydrogen ions, indicating a more acidic solution, while a higher pH corresponds to a lower hydrogen ion concentration, indicating a more basic or alkaline solution.
Note that pH does not measure the concentration of hydroxide ions (OH\textsuperscript{−}) directly, nor does it measure total dissolved salts or temperature.
Therefore, the key quantity measured by pH is the hydrogen ion concentration, which reflects the acidity of the solution.
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