Question

Carbon dioxide in the atmosphere dissolves in raindrops to produce carbonic acid (H2CO3), causing the pH of clean, unpolluted rain to range from about 5.2 to 5.6.
What is the range of [H+] in the raindrops?

Answer 1

Answer:

The range of [H⁺] is from 2.51 x 10⁻⁶ M to 6.31 x 10⁻⁶ M,

Explanation:

To answer this problem we need to keep in mind the definition of pH:

• pH = -log [H⁺]

So now we calculate [H⁺] using a pH value of 5.2 and of 5.6:

• 5.2 = -log [H⁺]

-5.2 = log [H⁺]

$10^{-5.2}$ = [H⁺]

6.31 x 10⁻⁶ M = [H⁺]

• 5.6 = -log [H⁺]

-5.6 = log [H⁺]

$10^{-5.6}$ = [H⁺]

2.51 x 10⁻⁶ M = [H⁺]