pure water has a hydrogen ion concentration of 1 x 10-7 m and a ph of 7. a student measures a basic solution and finds that it has a hydrogen ion (H+) concentration of 1 x 10-3. explain why the student must have an error in her statement
If it is BASIC, it has an H+ concentration LESS than 10^-7
This is an acid !
The student must have made an error in her statement because a solution with a hydrogen ion concentration of 1 x 10-3 cannot be considered basic. In fact, a solution with a hydrogen ion concentration of 1 x 10-3 is acidic because it has a higher concentration of hydrogen ions than pure water, which has a concentration of 1 x 10-7.
The pH scale is a logarithmic scale that measures the acidity or basicity of a solution. A pH value less than 7 indicates an acidic solution, while a pH value greater than 7 indicates a basic solution. Pure water has a pH value of 7, which is considered neutral because its hydrogen ion concentration is equal to 1 x 10-7.
Therefore, based on the given information, if the student measured a solution with a hydrogen ion concentration of 1 x 10-3, it would actually be considered acidic, not basic.
The hydrogen ion concentration, represented as [H+], is used to indicate the acidity or alkalinity of a solution. It is measured in terms of pH, which is a logarithmic scale that quantifies the concentration of hydrogen ions. A pH of 7 is considered neutral, indicating a balanced concentration of hydrogen ions and hydroxide ions.
In the given example, the student states that the basic solution has a hydrogen ion concentration of 1 x 10-3. However, this contradicts the definition of a basic solution. Basic solutions have a lower concentration of hydrogen ions and a correspondingly higher concentration of hydroxide ions (OH-).
The reasoning behind this error lies in the understanding of pH values. The pH scale ranges from 0 to 14, where pH values below 7 are considered acidic and pH values above 7 are considered basic. On this scale, lower pH values correspond to higher concentrations of hydrogen ions, indicating increased acidity. Basic solutions have pH values higher than 7, indicating a lower concentration of hydrogen ions and a higher concentration of hydroxide ions.
Therefore, if the student stated that the basic solution has an [H+] concentration of 1 x 10-3, it would imply a higher acidity level rather than a basic solution. Thus, the student must have made an error in her statement.