Final Answer:
The concentration of hydrogen ions in the HCl solution is \(1.24 \times 10^{-3}\, \text{mol/L}\).
Step-by-step explanation:
The pH of a solution is a logarithmic measure of the concentration of hydrogen ions (\(H^+\)). The formula to calculate the hydrogen ion concentration from pH is:
\[ \text{pH} = -\log[H^+] \]
Given the pH of the solution is 2.301, to find the concentration of hydrogen ions, rearrange the formula:
\[ [H^+] = 10^{-\text{pH}} \]
Substitute the pH value:
\[ [H^+] = 10^{-2.301} \]
\[ [H^+] = 1.24 \times 10^{-3}\, \text{mol/L} \]
Therefore, the concentration of hydrogen ions in the HCl solution is \(1.24 \times 10^{-3}\, \text{mol/L}\). This indicates that the solution is acidic due to the presence of a relatively high concentration of hydrogen ions. The lower pH value signifies higher acidity, in this case, attributed to the strong acid, hydrochloric acid (HCl), which dissociates almost completely in water to produce a large number of hydrogen ions.