High School

Which of the following statements about the pH of 0.010 M HClO₄ is correct?

A. pH = 2.00, because [H⁺] = 1.0 x 10⁻² M.
B. pH = 2.00, because [H⁺] = 2.0 x 10⁻² M.
C. pH > 2.00, because HClO₄ is a strong acid.
D. pH < 2.00, because HClO₄ is a weak acid.

Answer :

Final answer:

The pH of 0.010 M HClO₄ is 2.00 because it's a strong acid that fully dissociates, leading to a hydronium ion concentration equal to the molar concentration of the acid.

Explanation:

The correct statement about the pH of 0.010 M HClO₄ is a. pH = 2.00, because [H⁺] = 1.0 x 10⁻² M. This is because HClO₄ is a strong acid that fully dissociates in water. When the strong acid dissociates, it produces a hydronium ion (H₃O⁺) concentration that is equal to the molar concentration of the acid. Therefore, for a 0.010 M solution of HClO₄, the [H⁺] is 0.010 M. The pH is calculated using the formula pH = -log[H⁺], leading to pH = -log(0.010), which equals 2.00.