A weather system moving through the American Midwest produced rain with an average pH of 5.02. By the time the system reached New England, the rain it produced had an average pH of 4.66. How much more acidic was the rain falling in New England?

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:

[tex]\frac{2.19 \times 10^{-5} M }{9.55 \times 10^{-6} M} =2.29[/tex]

The rain falling in New England is 2.29 times more acidic than the one in the American Midwest.

okpalawalter8 okpalawalter8 · Answer 2 · 2022-04-07T12:16:28+02:00

The change in the acidity of the rain falling in New England is mathematically given as

r=2.29

What is the change in the acidity of the rain falling in New England?

Question Parameter(s):

American midwest pH of 5.02

New England pH of 4.66

Generally, the equation for the pH is mathematically given as

pH = -log ([H⁺])

Therefore American midwest

pH = -log ([H⁺])

5.02 = -log ([H⁺])

[H⁺] = antilog (-5.02) = 9.55 × 10⁻⁶ M

and New england

pH = -log ([H⁺])

4.66 = -log ([H⁺])

[H⁺] = antilog (-4.66) = 2.19 × 10⁻⁵ M

In conclusion, the concentration ratio is

[tex]r=\frac{2.19 \times 10^{-5} M }{9.55 \times 10^{-6} M}[/tex]

r=2.29