What is the pH of a 2.62 x 10^-2 M HBr solution?
thanks
To find the pH of a solution, we need to understand that pH is a measure of the acidity or basicity of a solution. It is defined as the negative logarithm (base 10) of the hydrogen ion concentration ([H+]).
In this case, we have a HBr solution with a concentration of 2.62 x 10^-2 M. Since HBr is a strong acid, it dissociates completely in water, releasing H+ ions. Therefore, the concentration of H+ ions in the solution is also 2.62 x 10^-2 M.
To calculate the pH, we take the negative logarithm of the hydrogen ion concentration:
pH = -log[H+]
Substituting the value of [H+] into the equation, we have:
pH = -log(2.62 x 10^-2)
Calculating this on a calculator, the pH of a 2.62 x 10^-2 M HBr solution is approximately 1.58.
Remember that pH is a logarithmic scale, meaning that each whole number change in pH represents a tenfold difference in acidity or basicity. So, a solution with a pH of 1 is ten times more acidic than a solution with a pH of 2, and a solution with a pH of 10 is a hundred times less acidic than a solution with a pH of 8.