Identify the nature of the acid.
This chemistry question involves key chemical concepts and calculations. The detailed solution below walks through each step, from identifying the reaction type to computing the final answer.
ScanSolve AI Answer
To calculate the pH of a 0.001 M HCl solution:
Step 1: Identify the nature of the acid.
HCl is a strong acid, which means it dissociates completely in water.
Step 2: Determine the concentration of hydrogen ions ($[\text{H}^+]$).
Since HCl is a strong acid and dissociates completely:
$$ \text{HCl} \rightarrow \text{H}^+ + \text{Cl}^- $$
The concentration of $\text{H}^+$ ions will be equal to the initial concentration of HCl.
$$ [\text{H}^+] = 0.001 \text{ M} $$
Step 3: Use the pH formula.
The pH is defined as the negative logarithm (base 10) of the hydrogen ion concentration:
$$ \text{pH} = -\log_{10}[\text{H}^+] $$
Step 4: Substitute the value and calculate the pH.
$$ \text{pH} = -\log_{10}(0.001) $$
$$ \text{pH} = -\log_{10}(10^{-3}) $$
$$ \text{pH} = -(-3) $$
$$ \text{pH} = 3 $$
The pH of the 0.001 M HCl solution is $\boxed{\text{3}}$.
