Question

A urine sample has been sitting at room temperature for 3 hours. What effects would this have on the pH of the sample?

a. No change to the pH.
b. pH would become acidic.
c. pH would not be read at this time.
d. pH would become alkaline.

Answer 1

A urine sample left at room temperature for 3 hours will likely become more alkaline due to bacterial metabolism, affecting the pH measurement.

Step-by-step explanation:

The pH of a urine sample that has been sitting at room temperature for 3 hours would likely become alkaline. When urine is left at room temperature, bacteria present in the urine can metabolize and proliferate, converting urea to ammonia, which is alkaline, causing the pH to increase. This process would impact the pH measurement, shifting it from the original value. it could become more acidic as it sits. However, other factors such as diet and the specific composition of the sample can also affect the pH. Without more information about the initial pH and the specific circumstances, it is difficult to determine the exact effect on the pH of the sample.

If the sample was initially acidic or neutral, the pH will become more basic (alkaline). However, if the sample was already significantly alkaline, the pH may increase slightly but remain in the basic range. Therefore, option d. pH would become alkaline is the correct choice.