What is the pH range for acids? For bases?

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What is the pH range for acids? For bases?

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Answer 1 · 2017-08-14T10:14:24

Acids: 1-6
Bases: 8-14
Neutral: 7
All values in whole integers, real values may be continuous.

Explanation:

The definition of pH is from the auto-dissociation of water, with an equal number of $O H^{-}$ $OH^-$ and $H^{+}$ $H^+$ ions. This is set to 14, and the definition of pH is $p H = - log [H^{+}]$ $pH = -log[H^+]$ where [ $H^{+}]$ $H^+]$ is the molar concentration of the hydrogen ion.

Similarly pOH can be written as $p O H = - log [O H^{-}]$ $pOH = -log[OH^-]$ .

At equilibrium, [ $H^{+}] = [O H^{-}]$ $H^+] = [OH^-]$ , and therefore
$p H = p O H = 7$ $pH = pOH = 7$

Any $p H$ $pH$ less than 7 is an "acidic" solution - containing more
[ $H^{+}] t h a n [O H^{-}]$ $H^+] than [OH^-]$ .

Any $p H$ $pH$ more than 7 is a "basic" solution - containing less
[ $H^{+}] t h a n [O H^{-}]$ $H^+] than [OH^-]$ .

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What is the pH range for acids? For bases?

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