Question

What is true of a basic solution at room temperature?

It has a pH value below 7.
It has a higher concentration of hydroxide ions than hydronium ions.
It has a distinct sour taste but no odor.
It releases hydrogen ions in a reaction.

Answer 1

it has a distinct sour taste but no odor

Answer 2

It has a higher concentration of hydroxide ions than hydronium ions.

Step-by-step explanation:

A basic solution has pH value above 7, neutral solutions have pH equal to 7, and acid solutions pH value below 7.

The value of pH is
`-log[H3O^+]`, where
`[H3O^+]` is the concentration of ion hydronium. As higher is its value, low will be pH. When water dissociates, besides hydronium, it forms hydroxide
`(OH^-)`, so, for a basic solution, the concentration of hydroxide will be higher than the concentration of hydronium.

Some bases have a sour taste, some of them have an odor. So it's not possible to identify the solution by that.

As explained above, basic solutions release hydroxide ions in a reaction. Acids solutions release hydrogen ions or hydronium anions.