Calculate the [latex]\mathrm{pH}[/latex] of a sample of lake water that has a [latex]\left[\mathrm{H}_{3} \mathrm{O}^{+}\right]=6.5 \times 10^{-5} \,M[/latex].

[latex]\begin{aligned}\mathrm{pH} & =-\log \left[\mathrm{H}_{3} \mathrm{O}^{+}\right] \\& =-\log \left[6.5 \times 10^{-5}\right] \\& =4.19\end{aligned}[/latex] The [latex]\mathrm{pH}, 4.19[/latex], is low enough to suspect acid rain. (See An Environmental Perspective: Acid Rain in this chapter.)

Question 9.6: Calculate the pH of a sample of lake water that has a [H3O^+......

General, Organic and Biochemistry
General, Organic, and Biochemistry [1016061]

Calculate the $\mathrm{pH}$ of a sample of lake water that has a $\left[\mathrm{H}_{3} \mathrm{O}^{+}\right]=6.5 \times 10^{-5} \,M$ .

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To calculate the pH, we can use the formula -log[H3O+], where [H3O+] represents the concentration of hydronium ions in a solution. In this case, the concentration is 6.5 x 10^-5.

Step 1:

Take the negative logarithm of the concentration. -log(6.5 x 10^-5)

Step 2:

Calculate the value. -log(6.5 x 10^-5) = 4.19

Step 3:

Therefore, the pH of the solution is 4.19.

Step 4:

A pH of 4.19 is considered low, indicating an acidic solution. This low pH value suggests that the solution may be contaminated with acid rain. Acid rain is formed when pollutants from human activities, such as burning fossil fuels, react with water vapor in the atmosphere, forming acids that can be deposited in rainwater. The presence of acid rain can have detrimental effects on the environment, including damage to plants, aquatic life, and infrastructure.