The acidity of a solution is determined by the concentration H of hydrogen ions. The formula is . The accompanying exponential formula is H = 0.1^pH. Lower pH values indicate a more acidic solution. Normal rain has a pH of 5.6. Suppose acid rain has a pH of 4.3. How many times as acidic as normal rain is this? A)2 B)5 C)10 D)20

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Using the formula, we can calculate the hydrogen ion concentration for normal rain and acid rain:

H(normal) = 0.1^5.6 = 2.51 x 10^-6
H(acid) = 0.1^4.3 = 5.01 x 10^-5

To determine how many times more acidic the acid rain is compared to normal rain, we need to divide the hydrogen ion concentration of acid rain by the hydrogen ion concentration of normal rain:

5.01 x 10^-5 / 2.51 x 10^-6 = 19.9

Rounding to the nearest whole number, the acid rain is approximately 20 times more acidic than normal rain. Therefore, the answer is D.

The Acidity of a Solution Is Determined by the Concentration