Question

The pH of a sample of vinegar is 3.76. Calculate the concentration of hydrogen ions in it.

Answer 1

Hint: The negative logarithm of hydrogen ion concentration is the pH of a solution. Let’s use this concept and get the final answer. First, we’ll equate $pH$ with $-log[H^{+}]$ and use antilog property to get the concentration of Hydrogen ions.

Complete step by step answer:
We are given the pH of a sample of vinegar is 3.76
We know that $pH$=$-log[H^{+}]$
Therefore,
$pH$ = $-log[H^{+}]$
$-log[H^{+}]$ = $-pH$
Taking antilog on both sides we get,
$[H^{+}]$ = antilog (-3.76)
$[H^{+}]$ = $1.74\times10^{-4}$

Hence, the concentration of hydrogen ion $[H^{+}]$ = $1.74\times10^{-4}$.

Additional information:
Concentration is the solvent quantity compared to the overall solution quantity. A high solvent quantity is equivalent to a high concentration, where a lower solvent quantity would be equivalent to a low total concentration.
The compound may dissociate into ions when an acid or a base is put into a solvent. The concentration of $H^{+}$ (hydrogen ions) in the solution will decide if the solution is acidic or base. A high $H^{+}$ concentration would mean an acidic solution and a low $H^{+}$ concentration would mean a simple solution.
For example, HCl molecules in hydrochloric acid (a common acid that is an aqueous solution of HCl) have dissociated into two types of ions, $H^{+}$ and $Cl{-}$. A high $H^{+}$ concentration causes this dissociation, which is a function of an acidic solution.

Note: By using the concentration of hydrogen ions and hydroxide ions respectively, the determination of $pH$ and $pOH$ will be determined. There is also a relationship between $pH$ and $pOH$, so if you do not have enough data to evaluate one, you can use the other's concentration. This will be achieved by measuring $pH$ using Sorensen's equation.