Question

A solution has a pH of 2.4. What happens to the solution if the hydronium ion concentration is increased?

Answer 1

The pH would decrease and the solution would become more acidic

Step-by-step explanation:

pH of a solution is a measure of its hydronium ion (H3O+) concentration. Mathematically it is given as:

`pH = -log[H3O+] -------(1)\\\\i.e. [H3O+] = 10^(-pH) ------(2)\\`

It is given that pH of the solution = 2.4

Therefore based on equation (2), the [H3O+] would be:

`[H3O+] = 10^(-2.4) = 3.98*10^(-3) M`

If the [H3O+] concentration were increased then based on equation (1) the pH of the solution would decrease i.e. it would become more acidic.

For example, lets say that the new [H3O+] = 5.0 * 10⁻³ M, then

`pH = -log[5*10^(-3) ] = 2.3`

Answer 2

If the hydronium ion concentration is increased, the pH of the solution decreases.

The concentration of hydrogen ions in a solution expressed usually in moles per liter or in pH units and used as a measure of the acidity of the solution indicator dyes for narrow ranges of hydrogen-ion concentration