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
The correct answer is C.
lemon juice, milk of magnesia, distilled water
To determine the correct order of the substances from highest to lowest pH, we need to analyze their chemical natures. The pH scale ranges from 0 to 14, with 0 being highly acidic, 7 being neutral, and 14 being highly basic.
From the given list:
- Milk of magnesia is classified as basic.
- Distilled water is labeled as neutral.
- Lemon juice is categorized as acidic.
Based on this information, the correct order of the substances from highest to lowest pH is:
C. lemon juice, milk of magnesia, distilled water
To determine the correct order of substances from highest to lowest pH, we need to understand the pH scale. The pH scale measures the acidity or alkalinity (basicness) of a substance, with a range from 0 to 14.
Substances with a pH value less than 7 are considered acidic, with lower values indicating stronger acidity. A pH value of 7 is considered neutral, indicating neither acidity nor alkalinity. Substances with a pH value greater than 7 are considered alkaline or basic, with higher values indicating stronger basicity.
Based on the information given, we can determine the correct order:
- Lemon juice is described as acidic, which means it has a pH value less than 7.
- Distilled water is described as neutral, which means it has a pH value of 7.
- Milk of magnesia is described as basic, which means it has a pH value greater than 7.
From this, we can conclude that the correct order of substances from highest to lowest pH is:
C. lemon juice, milk of magnesia, distilled water