Household ammonia has a pH of 12; household bleach has a pH of 13.Which of the following statements about them is true?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The pH scale is logarithmic, which means that each whole number change in pH signifies a 10-fold change in H+ ion concentration. Therefore, if ammonia has a pH of 12 and bleach has a pH of 13, the ammonia has 10 times as many H+ ions as the bleach. Option A is incorrect because OH- ions and H+ ions are inversely proportional: if one solution has more OH- ions, it has fewer H+ ions (and vice versa), so option A cannot be true if option D is true. Option B is incorrect because a buffer solution aims to maintain a constant pH by neutralizing either excess H+ or OH- ions, depending on whether the solution is too acidic or basic, respectively. In this case, a buffer solution would remove excess H+ ions from the ammonia solution, not excess OH- ions. Option C is incorrect because both of these substances are strong bases, not strong acids.

Household Ammonia Has a PH of 12; Household Bleach Has