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From OpenStax / Rice University

pH and pOH Quiz

12 questions chemistry Grades 9-12

The question sheet

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  1. A solution is neutral if it contains equal concentrations of what two ions?

    • Hydronium and hydroxide
    • Hydrogen and oxygen
    • Proton and electron
    • Sodium and chloride
    Reveal answer

    Answer: Hydronium and hydroxide

    Source evidence

    PDF page 746: As discussed earlier, hydronium and hydroxide ions are present both in pure water and in all aqueous solutions, and their concentrations are inversely proportional as determined by the ion product of water (Kw). The concentrations of these ions in a solution are often critical determinants of the solution’s properties and the chemical behaviors of its other solutes, and specific vocabulary has been developed to describe these concentrations in relative terms. A solution is neutral if it contains equal concentrations of hydronium and hydroxide ions; acidic if it contains a greater concentration of hydronium ions than hydroxide ions; and basic if it contains a lesser concentration of hydronium ions than hydroxide ions. A common means of expressing quantities, the values of which may span many orders of magnitude, is to use a logarithmic scale. One such scale that is very popular for chemical concentrations and equilibrium constants is based on the p-function, defined as shown where “X” is the quantity of interest and “log” is the base-10 logarithm: pX = −log X

  2. A solution is acidic if it contains:

    • More hydroxide than hydronium
    • No hydronium ions
    • More hydronium than hydroxide
    • Equal hydronium and hydroxide
    Reveal answer

    Answer: More hydronium than hydroxide

    Source evidence

    PDF page 746: As discussed earlier, hydronium and hydroxide ions are present both in pure water and in all aqueous solutions, and their concentrations are inversely proportional as determined by the ion product of water (Kw). The concentrations of these ions in a solution are often critical determinants of the solution’s properties and the chemical behaviors of its other solutes, and specific vocabulary has been developed to describe these concentrations in relative terms. A solution is neutral if it contains equal concentrations of hydronium and hydroxide ions; acidic if it contains a greater concentration of hydronium ions than hydroxide ions; and basic if it contains a lesser concentration of hydronium ions than hydroxide ions. A common means of expressing quantities, the values of which may span many orders of magnitude, is to use a logarithmic scale. One such scale that is very popular for chemical concentrations and equilibrium constants is based on the p-function, defined as shown where “X” is the quantity of interest and “log” is the base-10 logarithm: pX = −log X

  3. A basic solution contains what relative to hydronium and hydroxide ions?

    • Less hydronium than hydroxide
    • No hydroxide ions
    • Equal amounts of both
    • More hydronium than hydroxide
    Reveal answer

    Answer: Less hydronium than hydroxide

    Source evidence

    PDF page 746: As discussed earlier, hydronium and hydroxide ions are present both in pure water and in all aqueous solutions, and their concentrations are inversely proportional as determined by the ion product of water (Kw). The concentrations of these ions in a solution are often critical determinants of the solution’s properties and the chemical behaviors of its other solutes, and specific vocabulary has been developed to describe these concentrations in relative terms. A solution is neutral if it contains equal concentrations of hydronium and hydroxide ions; acidic if it contains a greater concentration of hydronium ions than hydroxide ions; and basic if it contains a lesser concentration of hydronium ions than hydroxide ions. A common means of expressing quantities, the values of which may span many orders of magnitude, is to use a logarithmic scale. One such scale that is very popular for chemical concentrations and equilibrium constants is based on the p-function, defined as shown where “X” is the quantity of interest and “log” is the base-10 logarithm: pX = −log X

  4. The p-function pX is defined as which expression?

    • pX = −log X
    • pX = log X
    • pX = 10^X
    • pX = X/log
    Reveal answer

    Answer: pX = −log X

    Source evidence

    PDF page 746: As discussed earlier, hydronium and hydroxide ions are present both in pure water and in all aqueous solutions, and their concentrations are inversely proportional as determined by the ion product of water (Kw). The concentrations of these ions in a solution are often critical determinants of the solution’s properties and the chemical behaviors of its other solutes, and specific vocabulary has been developed to describe these concentrations in relative terms. A solution is neutral if it contains equal concentrations of hydronium and hydroxide ions; acidic if it contains a greater concentration of hydronium ions than hydroxide ions; and basic if it contains a lesser concentration of hydronium ions than hydroxide ions. A common means of expressing quantities, the values of which may span many orders of magnitude, is to use a logarithmic scale. One such scale that is very popular for chemical concentrations and equilibrium constants is based on the p-function, defined as shown where “X” is the quantity of interest and “log” is the base-10 logarithm: pX = −log X

  5. How is pH defined in terms of hydronium ion concentration?

    • pH = 10^[H3O+]
    • pH = −log[H3O+]
    • pH = log[H3O+]
    • pH = [H3O+]
    Reveal answer

    Answer: pH = −log[H3O+]

    Source evidence

    PDF page 746: The pH of a solution is therefore defined as shown here, where [H3O ] is the molar concentration of hydronium ion in the solution: + pH = −log[H O ] 3 Rearranging this equation to isolate the hydronium ion molarity yields the equivalent expression: −pH + [H O ] = 10 3 Likewise, the hydroxide ion molarity may be expressed as a p-function, or pOH: − pOH = −log[OH ] or −pOH − [OH ] = 10 Finally, the relation between these two ion concentration expressed as p-functions is easily derived from the Kw expression: + − Kw = [H O ][OH ] 3

  6. How is pOH defined?

    • pOH = 14 − [OH−]
    • pOH = [OH−]
    • pOH = log[OH−]
    • pOH = −log[OH−]
    Reveal answer

    Answer: pOH = −log[OH−]

    Source evidence

    PDF page 746: The pH of a solution is therefore defined as shown here, where [H3O ] is the molar concentration of hydronium ion in the solution: + pH = −log[H O ] 3 Rearranging this equation to isolate the hydronium ion molarity yields the equivalent expression: −pH + [H O ] = 10 3 Likewise, the hydroxide ion molarity may be expressed as a p-function, or pOH: − pOH = −log[OH ] or −pOH − [OH ] = 10 Finally, the relation between these two ion concentration expressed as p-functions is easily derived from the Kw expression: + − Kw = [H O ][OH ] 3

  7. Rearranging pH gives the hydronium ion molarity as:

    • [H3O+] = log pH
    • [H3O+] = 10^−pH
    • [H3O+] = −10^pH
    • [H3O+] = pH
    Reveal answer

    Answer: [H3O+] = 10^−pH

    Source evidence

    PDF page 746: The pH of a solution is therefore defined as shown here, where [H3O ] is the molar concentration of hydronium ion in the solution: + pH = −log[H O ] 3 Rearranging this equation to isolate the hydronium ion molarity yields the equivalent expression: −pH + [H O ] = 10 3 Likewise, the hydroxide ion molarity may be expressed as a p-function, or pOH: − pOH = −log[OH ] or −pOH − [OH ] = 10 Finally, the relation between these two ion concentration expressed as p-functions is easily derived from the Kw expression: + − Kw = [H O ][OH ] 3

  8. At 25 °C, what are the pH and pOH of a neutral solution?

    • 7.00 and 7.00
    • 1.00 and 13.00
    • 6.31 and 6.31
    • 0.00 and 14.00
    Reveal answer

    Answer: 7.00 and 7.00

    Source evidence

    PDF page 747: pH = −log[H O ] = −log(1.0 × 10 ) = 7.00

    PDF page 747: pOH = −log[OH ] = −log(1.0 × 10 ) = 7.00

  9. At 25 °C, acidic solutions have pH and pOH values that are:

    • pH > 7.00, pOH < 7.00
    • pH < 7.00, pOH > 7.00
    • pH = 7.00, pOH = 7.00
    • pH > 7.00, pOH > 7.00
    Reveal answer

    Answer: pH < 7.00, pOH > 7.00

    Source evidence

    PDF page 747: And so, at this temperature, acidic solutions are those with hydronium ion molarities greater than 1.0 × 10 M

    PDF page 747: and hydroxide ion molarities less than 1.0 × 10 M (corresponding to pH values less than 7.00 and pOH values

  10. At 25 °C, basic solutions correspond to which pH and pOH?

    • pH = 7.00 and pOH = 7.00
    • pH > 7.00 and pOH < 7.00
    • pH < 7.00 and pOH < 7.00
    • pH < 7.00 and pOH > 7.00
    Reveal answer

    Answer: pH > 7.00 and pOH < 7.00

    Source evidence

    PDF page 747: greater than 7.00). Basic solutions are those with hydronium ion molarities less than 1.0 × 10 M and hydroxide ion

    PDF page 747: molarities greater than 1.0 × 10 M (corresponding to pH values greater than 7.00 and pOH values less than 7.00). Since the autoionization constant Kw is temperature dependent, these correlations between pH values and the acidic/ neutral/basic adjectives will be different at temperatures other than 25 °C. For example, the “Check Your Learning”

  11. Why do pH correlations with acidic/neutral/basic vary at other temperatures?

    • Because pH cannot be measured
    • Because water evaporates
    • Because logarithms change
    • Because Kw is temperature dependent
    Reveal answer

    Answer: Because Kw is temperature dependent

    Source evidence

    PDF page 747: molarities greater than 1.0 × 10 M (corresponding to pH values greater than 7.00 and pOH values less than 7.00). Since the autoionization constant Kw is temperature dependent, these correlations between pH values and the acidic/ neutral/basic adjectives will be different at temperatures other than 25 °C. For example, the “Check Your Learning”

  12. At 80 °C, pure water has pH and pOH values of:

    • 7.00
    • 5.70
    • 14.00
    • 6.31
    Reveal answer

    Answer: 6.31

    Source evidence

    PDF page 747: pH = −log[H O ] = −log(4.9 × 10 ) = 6.31

    PDF page 747: pOH = −log[OH ] = −log(4.9 × 10 ) = 6.31

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