Question

H2SO4 is added to a large beaker of water. How is the solution different from the original water?

Answer 1

When concentrated sulfuric acid, H2SO4(l), is added to water it will form a solution containing hydrogen ions and hydrogen sulfate ions. H2SO4 is a strong acid, but only for the first H+. The remaining HSO4^- is a weak acid. Since it forms an acidic solution, it will change blue litmus to red.

Answer 2

The new solution is a homogeneous mixture and will have a lower pH i.e. more acidic.

Step-by-step explanation:

The solution is different is different in 2 ways:

1) The original water is a pure solution. Water is a polar solvent and so is H2SO4. When the later is added to water it is completely dispersed and results in a solution which is essentially a homogenous mixture of two liquids.

2) Secondly the pH of water is neutral i.e.7. Sulfuric acid (H2SO4) is a strong acid which dissociates completely to release H+ ions in solution. This increases the concentration of H+ ions. Since pH = -log[H+], the pH will decrease making the solution more acidic.