Answer:
The rain falling in New England is 2.29 times more acidic than the one in the American Midwest.
Explanation:
The acidity of a solution depends on the concentration of H⁺ ions ([H⁺]). We can calculate this concentration from the pH using the following expression.
pH = -log ([H⁺])
American Midwest
pH = -log ([H⁺])
5.02 = -log ([H⁺])
[H⁺] = antilog (-5.02) = 9.55 × 10⁻⁶ M
New England
pH = -log ([H⁺])
4.66 = -log ([H⁺])
[H⁺] = antilog (-4.66) = 2.19 × 10⁻⁵ M
The ratio of concentrations is:
The rain falling in New England is 2.29 times more acidic than the one in the American Midwest.