Which of the following statements is true regarding acidic solutions?

Which of the following statements is true regarding acidic solutions?

• A. They have a pH greater than 7.
• B. They are neutral and have a pH of 7.
• C. They have a pH less than 7.
• D. They are alkaline with a pH of 14.

Answer: (C)

Acidic solutions are characterized by having a pH less than 7. The pH scale ranges from 0 to 14, where values below 7 indicate acidity, a value of 7 is neutral, and values above 7 represent alkalinity. Therefore, the defining feature of an acidic solution is its ability to donate protons (H⁺ ions) in a solution, which lowers the pH below the neutral level of 7. This property is fundamental in various chemical reactions and biological processes, making it essential in understanding acid-base chemistry. The other choices reflect misunderstandings about the pH scale: statements about having a pH greater than 7 indicate alkalinity, while a pH of exactly 7 signifies a neutral solution, and a pH of 14 denotes a strongly alkaline condition.

Acidic solutions are characterized by having a pH less than 7. The pH scale ranges from 0 to 14, where values below 7 indicate acidity, a value of 7 is neutral, and values above 7 represent alkalinity. Therefore, the defining feature of an acidic solution is its ability to donate protons (H⁺ ions) in a solution, which lowers the pH below the neutral level of 7. This property is fundamental in various chemical reactions and biological processes, making it essential in understanding acid-base chemistry.

The other choices reflect misunderstandings about the pH scale: statements about having a pH greater than 7 indicate alkalinity, while a pH of exactly 7 signifies a neutral solution, and a pH of 14 denotes a strongly alkaline condition.