How to Calculate the pH of a Solution

The Formula to Calculate pH

pH is a measure of the acidity or basicity of a solution. It is defined as the negative logarithm of the hydrogen ion concentration in moles per liter. The formula to calculate pH is:

pH = -log[H+]

Application to Find pH

When determining the pH of a specific solution, you need to know the concentration of hydrogen ions present. For example, if you have a solution of hydrochloric acid (HCl), which is a strong acid that completely dissociates in water, you can directly use the concentration of H+ ions to calculate the pH.

Let's say you have a solution with a hydrogen ion concentration of 9.3 × 10^2 M. By substituting this value into the pH formula, you can find the pH of the solution as follows:

pH = -log(9.3 × 10^2)

This calculation will give you the pH value of the solution, which indicates its acidity level.