Question

Solution 1 has \(\left[\mathrm{H}^{+}\right]=1.7 \times 10^{-2} \mathrm{M}\). Solution 2 has \(\left[\mathrm{H}^{+}\right]=4.3 \times 10^{-4} \mathrm{M} .\) Which solution is more acidic? Which has the higher \(\mathrm{pH}\) ?

Short answer

Answer: Solution 1 is more acidic, and Solution 2 has the higher pH.

Step-by-step solution

Compare concentrations of hydrogen ions

To determine which solution is more acidic, we need to compare the concentraions of hydrogen ions (\([\mathrm{H}^{+}]\)) in both solutions. A higher concentration means a more acidic solution. Solution 1: \([\mathrm{H}^{+}] = 1.7 \times 10^{-2} \mathrm{M}\) Solution 2: \([\mathrm{H}^{+}] = 4.3 \times 10^{-4} \mathrm{M}\) Since \(1.7 \times 10^{-2} \mathrm{M} > 4.3 \times 10^{-4} \mathrm{M}\), Solution 1 is more acidic than Solution 2.

Calculate pH values

pH is a measure of how acidic a solution is, and it's calculated using the following formula: pH = \(-\log_{10}{[\mathrm{H}^{+}]}\) Now we'll calculate the pH values for both solutions: Solution 1: pH = \(-\log_{10} (1.7 \times 10^{-2})\) pH ≈ 1.77 Solution 2: pH = \(-\log_{10} (4.3 \times 10^{-4})\) pH ≈ 3.37

Compare pH values

Now that we have the pH values for both solutions, let's compare them: Solution 1: pH ≈ 1.77 Solution 2: pH ≈ 3.37 A lower pH value indicates a more acidic solution. Since Solution 1 has a lower pH value than Solution 2, it is indeed the more acidic solution. Conversely, Solution 2 has the higher pH value, which confirms that it is less acidic than Solution 1.