Question

Boiled deionized water may be used to dilute the HCl and NaOH solutions in part A of the experiment because

a. CO2 gas, expelled from the water by boiling, is a weak acid that would interfere with the pH measurements.
b. the dilution is endothermic.
c. sterilized water is needed.
d. we need to use the hotplates periodically to keep them working properly.

Answer 1

Boiled deionized water is used to dilute HCl and NaOH solutions to remove impurities and gases that can interfere with pH measurements. The option (A) is correct.

Step-by-step explanation:

Boiled deionized water may be used to dilute the HCl and NaOH solutions in part A of the experiment because it removes impurities and gases, such as CO2, that can interfere with the accuracy of pH measurements.

When CO2 is expelled from water by boiling, it forms carbonic acid, which is a weak acid and can affect pH measurements. By using boiled deionized water, we ensure that the dilution process is not affected by impurities or weak acids. Therefore, option (A) is correct.