Question

What does the PH scale range from; Which number is most acidic and most basic?

a) 0-14; 0 is most acidic and 14 is most basic
b) 1-10; 1 is most acidic and 10 is most basic
c) 0-10; 0 is most acidic and 10 is most basic
d) 1-14; 1 is most acidic and 14 is most basic

Answer 1

The pH scale ranges from 0 to 14, with 0 being the most acidic and 14 the most basic. A pH of 7 indicates a neutral solution. Option a) is the correct answer.

Step-by-step explanation:

The pH scale measures the acidity or basicity of a solution and ranges from 0 to 14. The most acidic solutions have a pH closer to 0, and the most basic (or alkaline) solutions have a pH closer to 14. Pure water is considered neutral, with a pH of 7. When the pH is less than 7, the solution is acidic. If the pH is exactly 7, the solution is neutral, and if the pH is greater than 7, the solution is basic. This means that for the choices provided, option a) 0-14; 0 is most acidic and 14 is most basic is the correct answer. Additionally, it is important to note that the pH scale can be related to pOH, where for a neutral solution, pH + pOH = 14.00. This also applies at 25°C with pH=pOH=7, indicating the neutral midpoint of the scale.