Question

What is pH value? How is it related to hydrogen ion concentration?

Hint:

A decrease in pH indicates an increase in hydrogen ion concentration, and an increase in pH indicates a decrease in hydrogen ion concentration.

Answer 1

The pH value is a measure of the hydrogen ion concentration in a solution. It is calculated as the negative logarithm of the hydrogen ion concentration, i.e., \(\text{pH} = -\log[\text{H}^+]\). The higher the concentration of hydrogen ions, the lower the pH, indicating an acidic solution. Conversely, a lower concentration of hydrogen ions results in a higher pH, indicating a basic solution.
For example, a pH of 7 indicates neutrality (pure water), while values below 7 indicate acidity and above 7 indicate alkalinity.