You have two solutions, A and B. The pH of solution A is 6 and pH of solution B is 8. Which solution has more hydrogen ion concentration? Which of this is acidic and which one is basic?
Solution A has more hydrogen ion concentration than solution B. This is because higher the hydronium ion concentration, lower is the pH value. Since solution A has a lower pH of 6 compared to solution B's pH of 8, it contains more hydrogen ions.
Solution A is acidic and solution B is basic. According to the pH scale, a neutral solution has pH of exactly 7. An acidic solution has a pH less than 7, while a basic solution has a pH more than 7. Since solution A has pH 6 (less than 7), it is acidic. Solution B has pH 8 (more than 7), making it basic.
Explanation
The question tests understanding of the pH scale and its relationship with hydrogen ion concentration. From the textbook: 'Higher the hydronium ion concentration, lower is the pH value' - this inverse relationship explains why pH 6 indicates more H⁺ ions than pH 8. The classification as acidic/basic comes from the rule that 'an acidic solution has a pH less than 7 and a basic solution a pH more than 7.'
Solution Steps
Step 1: Compare pH values - Solution A (pH 6) is lower than Solution B (pH 8)
Step 2: Apply the rule - lower pH means higher hydrogen ion concentration
Step 3: Classify solutions - pH < 7 is acidic, pH > 7 is basic