A solution at pH 6 contains _________ H+ than the same amount of a solution at pH 8. a. 20 times more b. 100 times more c. 2 times less d. 100 times less

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand that pH is a measure of the hydrogen ion concentration in a solution, and it is inversely related to the concentration of hydrogen ions.
2. Recognize that each unit change in pH represents a tenfold change in hydrogen ion concentration.
3. Calculate the difference in pH units between pH 6 and pH 8, which is 2 pH units.
4. Apply the tenfold change per pH unit to determine the change in hydrogen ion concentration over 2 pH units. This is done by raising 10 to the power of the difference in pH units (10^2).
5. Conclude that a solution at pH 6 has 100 times more hydrogen ions (H+) than a solution at pH 8.

Key Concepts

pH Scale

The pH scale measures the acidity or basicity of a solution, ranging from 0 to 14. A pH of 7 is neutral, while values below 7 indicate acidity and above 7 indicate alkalinity. Each whole number change on the pH scale represents a tenfold change in hydrogen ion concentration (H+), making it crucial for understanding the relationship between pH and H+ concentration.

Hydrogen Ion Concentration

Hydrogen ion concentration refers to the amount of H+ ions present in a solution, which directly affects its pH. A lower pH indicates a higher concentration of H+ ions, while a higher pH indicates a lower concentration. For example, a solution at pH 6 has 10 times more H+ than at pH 7, and 100 times more than at pH 8, illustrating the logarithmic nature of the pH scale.

Logarithmic Scale

The pH scale is logarithmic, meaning that each unit change in pH corresponds to a tenfold change in H+ ion concentration. This characteristic implies that a solution with a pH of 6 has 100 times more H+ ions than a solution with a pH of 8. Understanding this logarithmic relationship is essential for accurately comparing the acidity of different solutions.