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Chapter 15: Problem 12

Which is more acidic, a solution having a pH of 4 or one having a pH of 5 ?

Short Answer

Expert verified
A solution with a pH of 4 is more acidic than one with a pH of 5.

Step by step solution

01

Understanding pH scale

The pH scale measures the acidity or alkalinity of a solution. It ranges from 0 to 14, where 7 is neutral. Values lower than 7 indicate acidity, and values higher than 7 indicate alkalinity.
02

Comparing pH values

The acidity of a solution is inversely related to its pH value. Lower pH values signify higher acidity. Thus, between a pH of 4 and a pH of 5, the solution with a pH of 4 has a lower pH and is therefore more acidic.
03

Understanding logarithmic nature of pH

The pH scale is logarithmic, meaning each whole number change on the pH scale represents a tenfold change in hydrogen ion concentration. Therefore, a solution with a pH of 4 has ten times more hydrogen ions than a solution with a pH of 5.
04

Conclusion

Based on the pH values, comparing their acidity, and logarithmic nature of the pH scale, it is clear that the solution with a pH of 4 is more acidic than the solution with a pH of 5.

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Key Concepts

These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.

Acidity
The concept of acidity is central to understanding the behavior of solutions in chemistry. Acidity refers to a solution's ability to donate protons or hydrogen ions ( \( H^+ \) ). The more \( H^+ \) ions a solution can donate, the more acidic it is.
Acids are substances that increase the concentration of hydrogen ions when dissolved in water, leading to a lower pH value.
In terms of the pH scale, which ranges from 0 to 14:
  • Solutions with a pH less than 7 are considered acidic.
  • The lower the pH value, the higher the acidity.
Thus, a solution with a pH of 4 is more acidic than one with a pH of 5, because it can donate more hydrogen ions.
Hydrogen Ion Concentration
Hydrogen ion concentration is a key factor in determining the acidity of a solution. The concentration of hydrogen ions ( \( [H^+] \) ) in a solution dictates its pH level.
A higher concentration of \( H^+ \) ions means a lower pH and higher acidity.
The relationship between hydrogen ion concentration and pH is given by the formula:\[ pH = -\log_{10} [H^+] \]
This formula highlights that:
  • If the \( [H^+] \) is high, the pH value will be low.
  • Conversely, if \( [H^+] \) is low, the pH will be high.
In our exercise, a solution with a pH of 4 has a higher hydrogen ion concentration than one with a pH of 5, making it more acidic.
Logarithmic Scale
The pH scale is logarithmic, meaning it operates on powers of ten. This feature of the pH scale implies that each numerical step on the scale changes the hydrogen ion concentration by a factor of ten.
For example, a solution with a pH of 4 is actually ten times more acidic than a solution with a pH of 5 because \( 10^{-4} \) is ten times larger than \( 10^{-5} \).
The logarithmic nature also means small pH changes can reflect large changes in acidity:
  • A decrease by 1 unit in pH results in a tenfold increase in hydrogen ion concentration.
  • This is why the solution with pH 4 is significantly more acidic than pH 5.
Understanding this logarithmic relationship is crucial for interpreting the pH scale accurately.

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Most popular questions from this chapter

Two \(0.10\) -mol samples of the hypothetical monoprotic acids \(\mathrm{HA}(a q)\) and \(\mathrm{HB}(a q)\) are used to prepare \(1.0\) -L stock solutions of each acid. a. Write the chemical reactions for these acids in water. What are the concentrations of the two acid solutions? b. One of these acids is a strong acid, and one is weak. What could you measure that would tell you which acid was strong and which was weak? c. Say that the \(\mathrm{HA}(a q)\) solution has a \(\mathrm{pH}\) of \(3.7 .\) Is this the stronger of the two acids? How did you arrive at your answer? d. What is the concentration of \(\mathrm{A}^{-}(a q)\) in the HA solution described in part c? e. If \(\mathrm{HB}(a q)\) is a strong acid, what is the hydronium-ion concentration? f. In the solution of \(\mathrm{HB}(a q)\), which of the following would you expect to be in the greatest concentration: \(\mathrm{H}_{3} \mathrm{O}^{+}(a q)\), \(\mathrm{B}^{-}(a q), \mathrm{HB}(a q)\), or \(\mathrm{OH}^{-}(a q) ?\) How did you decide? g. In the solution of \(\mathrm{HA}(a q)\), which of the following would you expect to be in the greatest concentration: \(\mathrm{H}_{3} \mathrm{O}^{+}(a q)\), \(\mathrm{A}^{-}(a q), \mathrm{HA}(a q)\), or \(\mathrm{OH}^{-}(a q) ?\) How did you decide? h. Say you add \(1.0 \mathrm{~L}\) of pure water to a solution of \(\mathrm{HB}\). Would this water addition make the solution more acidic, make it less acidic, or not change the acidity of the original solution? Be sure to fully justify your answer. i. You prepare a \(1.0\) -L solution of \(\mathrm{HA}\). You then take a 200 mL sample of this solution and place it into a separate container. Would this \(200 \mathrm{~mL}\) sample be more acidic, be less acidic, or have the same acidity as the original \(1.0-\mathrm{L}\) solution of HA \((a q)\) ? Be sure to support your answer.

Explain why an acid-base reaction favors the weaker acid.

Write the balanced reaction of hypochlorous acid, HOCl, with water to form hydronium ion and the conjugate base of HOCl. Identify each species as either an acid or a base.

A 2.500-g sample of a mixture of sodium hydrogen carbonate and potassium chloride is dissolved in \(25.00 \mathrm{~mL}\) of \(0.437 M \mathrm{H}_{2} \mathrm{SO}_{4} .\) Some acid remains after treatment of the sample. a. Write both the net ionic and the molecular equations for the complete reaction of sodium hydrogen carbonate with sulfuric acid. b. If \(35.4-\mathrm{mL}\) of \(0.108 M \mathrm{NaOH}\) were required to titrate the excess sulfuric acid, how many moles of sodium hydrogen carbonate were present in the original sample? c. What is the percent composition of the original sample?

Phosphorous acid, \(\mathrm{H}_{3} \mathrm{PO}_{3}\), and phosphoric acid, \(\mathrm{H}_{3} \mathrm{PO}_{4}\), have approximately the same acid strengths. From this information, and noting the possibility that one or more hydrogen atoms may be directly bonded to the phosphorus atom, draw the structural formula of phosphorous acid. How many grams of sodium hydroxide would be required to completely neutralize \(1.00 \mathrm{~g}\) of this acid?
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