Calculating pH of a Solution
Understanding pH Calculation
pH is the measure of acidity of a solution based on the concentration of H⺠ions present. The pH scale ranges from 0 to 14, where values below 7 are considered acidic, 7 is neutral, and values above 7 are alkaline. pH is calculated using the formula: pH = -log[Hâº]. This means that as the concentration of H⺠ions increases, the pH value decreases, indicating higher acidity.
Mathematical Calculation for pH
Given that the solution has a [H+] of 0.20 M, we can calculate the pH as follows:
pH = -log[0.2]
pH = 1 - log 2
pH = 0.699
Understanding the Inverse Relationship
The relationship between pH and the concentration of H⺠ions is inverse, meaning that as pH decreases, the concentration of H⺠ions increases. For every unit change in pH, there is a 10-fold change in the concentration of H⺠ions.
Therefore, in the given solution with a [H+] of 0.20 M, the calculated pH of 0.699 indicates a moderately acidic nature of the solution.