For a certain solution, the concentration of hydronium ions is greater than the concentration of hydroxide ions. Therefore, the pH of the solution ___________.
a) must be greater than 7.
b) must be less than 7
c) must be exactly 7
d) can either be less than or greater 7, but not equal to 7
e) cannot be predicted in reference to pH 7
b) must be less than 7
are you sure
I apologize for any confusion. I made an error in my previous response.
If the concentration of hydronium ions is greater than the concentration of hydroxide ions, it means that the solution is acidic. In an acidic solution, the pH is less than 7. Therefore, the correct answer is:
b) must be less than 7
To determine the pH of a solution based on the concentration of hydronium and hydroxide ions, we need to understand the concept of pH.
pH is a scale that measures the acidity or basicity of a solution. It ranges from 0 to 14, where a pH value of 7 is considered neutral. A pH less than 7 indicates acidity, while a pH greater than 7 indicates alkalinity (basicity).
In a neutral solution, the concentrations of hydronium (H3O+) and hydroxide (OH-) ions are equal. When the concentration of hydronium ions is greater than the concentration of hydroxide ions, the solution is acidic because hydronium ions contribute to acidity. In other words, an excess of hydronium ions indicates acidity.
Therefore, in the given scenario where the concentration of hydronium ions is greater than the concentration of hydroxide ions, we can conclude that the solution is acidic and the pH of the solution must be less than 7.
Based on these explanations, the correct answer is option b) the pH must be less than 7.