On a pH curve, a change of one pH unit corresponds to what factor change in hydrogen ion concentration?

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Multiple Choice

On a pH curve, a change of one pH unit corresponds to what factor change in hydrogen ion concentration?

On a pH curve, pH is a logarithmic measure of hydrogen ion concentration: pH = -log10([H+]). Because of this, a change of one pH unit means a tenfold change in [H+]. For example, pH 5 corresponds to [H+] of 1×10^-5 M, while pH 6 corresponds to 1×10^-6 M—exactly a tenfold difference. So lowering the pH by one unit increases [H+] by a factor of ten, and raising the pH by one unit decreases it by a factor of ten. The logarithmic nature of the scale is why small pH shifts reflect large changes in acidity.

On a pH curve, pH is a logarithmic measure of hydrogen ion concentration: pH = -log10([H+]). Because of this, a change of one pH unit means a tenfold change in [H+]. For example, pH 5 corresponds to [H+] of 1×10^-5 M, while pH 6 corresponds to 1×10^-6 M—exactly a tenfold difference. So lowering the pH by one unit increases [H+] by a factor of ten, and raising the pH by one unit decreases it by a factor of ten. The logarithmic nature of the scale is why small pH shifts reflect large changes in acidity.

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