Practicing Success
The pH of a neutral solution is _____. |
7 0 8 14 |
7 |
The correct answer is option (1) 7. The pH scale is a measure of the acidity or basicity (alkalinity) of a solution. It ranges from 0 to 14, where: pH values less than 7 indicate acidity. pH values equal to 7 indicate neutrality. pH values greater than 7 indicate alkalinity (basicity). The pH of a neutral solution, such as pure water, is exactly 7. In a neutral solution, the concentration of hydrogen ions (\(H^+\)) is equal to the concentration of hydroxide ions (\(OH^-\)), resulting in a balanced condition. The equation for the ionization of water, which illustrates the balance between \(H^+\) and \(OH^-\), is: \[ H_2O \rightleftharpoons H^+ + OH^- \] For a neutral solution: \[ [H^+] = [OH^-] \] In mathematical terms, this equilibrium corresponds to a pH value of 7. The midpoint of the pH scale (7) represents the neutral point. Therefore, when you encounter a question stating that a solution is neutral, you can confidently identify it as having a pH of 7. |