A neutral solution has a pH of 7. Which statement is true?

A neutral solution has a pH of 7. Which statement is true?

• A. It is acidic
• B. It is neutral and has pH 7
• C. It is basic
• D. It is strongly acidic

Answer: (B)

On the pH scale, 7 is the balance point between acidity and basicity. The pH of a solution is the negative logarithm of the hydrogen ion concentration, so neutral solutions have equal amounts of hydrogen ions and hydroxide ions. For water at room temperature, that balance corresponds to [H+] about 1 × 10^-7 M, giving a pH of 7. Values below 7 mean more H+ and a shift toward acidity, while values above 7 mean more OH- and a shift toward basicity. So the statement that a neutral solution has a pH of 7 is true. The other descriptions—acidic, strongly acidic, or basic—don’t fit because they imply pH values on the wrong side of 7.

On the pH scale, 7 is the balance point between acidity and basicity. The pH of a solution is the negative logarithm of the hydrogen ion concentration, so neutral solutions have equal amounts of hydrogen ions and hydroxide ions. For water at room temperature, that balance corresponds to [H+] about 1 × 10^-7 M, giving a pH of 7. Values below 7 mean more H+ and a shift toward acidity, while values above 7 mean more OH- and a shift toward basicity. So the statement that a neutral solution has a pH of 7 is true. The other descriptions—acidic, strongly acidic, or basic—don’t fit because they imply pH values on the wrong side of 7.