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Multiple Choice

Which pH is ten times more acidic than a solution with pH 5?

Acidity on the pH scale is logarithmic, so each unit change reflects a tenfold change in hydrogen ion concentration. Ten times more acidic means ten times higher [H+], which happens when the pH drops by 1. From pH 5 to pH 4, [H+] goes from 1×10^-5 M to 1×10^-4 M—a tenfold increase. Therefore, pH 4 is ten times more acidic than pH 5. Values higher than 5 have lower acidity (pH 6 is one-tenth as acidic, pH 7 is even less), and pH 5 is the baseline.

Acidity on the pH scale is logarithmic, so each unit change reflects a tenfold change in hydrogen ion concentration. Ten times more acidic means ten times higher [H+], which happens when the pH drops by 1. From pH 5 to pH 4, [H+] goes from 1×10^-5 M to 1×10^-4 M—a tenfold increase. Therefore, pH 4 is ten times more acidic than pH 5. Values higher than 5 have lower acidity (pH 6 is one-tenth as acidic, pH 7 is even less), and pH 5 is the baseline.