The list shows three substances and their chemical natures.
Substance Chemical Nature
milk of magnesia basic
distilled water neutral
lemon juice acidic
Which of the following correctly lists the substances from highest to lowest pH?
A.
lemon juice, distilled water, milk of magnesia
B.
distilled water, milk of magnesia, lemon juice
C.
lemon juice, milk of magnesia, distilled water
D.
milk of magnesia, distilled water, lemon juice
C. lemon juice, milk of magnesia, distilled water
To determine the correct order of the substances from highest to lowest pH, we need to consider their chemical natures.
Milk of magnesia is listed as basic, which means it has a high pH.
Distilled water is listed as neutral, which means it has a pH of 7 (neither acidic nor basic).
Lemon juice is listed as acidic, which means it has a low pH.
Therefore, the correct order from highest to lowest pH is:
B. distilled water, milk of magnesia, lemon juice.
To determine the correct order of substances from highest to lowest pH, we need to understand the pH scale and the relationships between acidic, neutral, and basic substances.
The pH scale measures the acidity or basicity of a substance, ranging from 0 to 14. A pH value below 7 indicates acidity, a value of 7 indicates neutrality, and a value above 7 indicates basicity.
From the given information, we know that milk of magnesia is basic, distilled water is neutral, and lemon juice is acidic.
Now, we can compare the substances and determine their pH levels:
- Lemon juice is mentioned to be acidic, meaning its pH level is below 7.
- Distilled water is mentioned to be neutral, so its pH level is 7.
- Milk of magnesia is mentioned to be basic, which means its pH level is above 7.
Considering these pH levels, we can see that lemon juice has the lowest pH, followed by distilled water with a neutral pH, and then milk of magnesia with the highest pH.
So, the correct order of substances from highest to lowest pH is:
C. lemon juice, milk of magnesia, distilled water