A solution has pH 3.0. Is it acidic, basic, or neutral?

A solution has pH 3.0. Is it acidic, basic, or neutral?

• A. Basic
• B. Neutral
• C. Acidic
• D. Very acidic

Answer: (C)

pH measures how acidic or basic a solution is. A pH below 7 is acidic, 7 is neutral, and above 7 is basic; the smaller the number, the stronger the acidity. A pH of 3 means the hydrogen ion concentration is 10^-3 M, while pure water is 10^-7 M, so this solution has about 10,000 times more hydrogen ions than neutral water. That clearly places it in the acidic range. While you can describe very low pH values (like near 1 or 2) as very acidic, a pH of 3 is best described simply as acidic. For context, acids turn blue litmus red, which helps indicate acidity.

pH measures how acidic or basic a solution is. A pH below 7 is acidic, 7 is neutral, and above 7 is basic; the smaller the number, the stronger the acidity. A pH of 3 means the hydrogen ion concentration is 10^-3 M, while pure water is 10^-7 M, so this solution has about 10,000 times more hydrogen ions than neutral water. That clearly places it in the acidic range. While you can describe very low pH values (like near 1 or 2) as very acidic, a pH of 3 is best described simply as acidic. For context, acids turn blue litmus red, which helps indicate acidity.