The definition of diluting something is to make it weaker. So when diluting the pH of a solution, you are making it weaker and therefore decreasing the pH level.
Added:
The real answer is somewhat more complicated: In fact it depends on what the original pH (acidity or alkalinity) was before dilution took place, the complicating factor is that dilution is (supposedly) done with water that by itself contains both H+ AND OH- ions (in neutral water both are very low, concentration of 1.0*10-7 mol/L, that's why the pH of water is 7.0!)
Answer: On dilution with water pH always tends to 7, meaning increase of pH value when pH was originally below 7 (acidic, conc. [H+] more than 1.0*10-7 mol/L) AND decreasing pH when it was originally above 7 (alkaline, conc. [H+] less than 1.0*10-7 mol/L or conc. [OH-] more than 1.0*10-7 mol/L)
No, it is false. A ten-fold dilution of an acid will INCREASE the pH by 1 unit. Remember pH is 0-14 where 0 is most acidic. Diluting ten-fold on a logarithmic scale will increase the pH.Conversely, a ten-fold dilution of an alkali/base will increase the pH by 1 unit.
Diluting with water will make this solution more neutral, meaning it will slowly increase to 7, which is the pH value of pure water used for this dilution.
can you be more specific? "the" acid? pH of buffered solutions generally will not change upon dilution, following the henderson-hasselbach. however, pH of strong acids will change, following the standard equation: pH = -log[H+] yerp
When an acidic solution is added to a basic solution, the pH will decrease. This is because the addition of the acidic solution will neutralize some of the hydroxide ions in the basic solution, resulting in a decrease in pH.
It depends on the pH of the dilutant. if the dilution substance is base the acidic solution will become less acidic moving toward neutral pH, the more it is diluted the less acidic it will become. A base solution will remain base or about 7 pH
No, it is false. A ten-fold dilution of an acid will INCREASE the pH by 1 unit. Remember pH is 0-14 where 0 is most acidic. Diluting ten-fold on a logarithmic scale will increase the pH.Conversely, a ten-fold dilution of an alkali/base will increase the pH by 1 unit.
Diluting with water will make this solution more neutral, meaning it will slowly increase to 7, which is the pH value of pure water used for this dilution.
pH is a measure of the hydrogen ion (H+) activity in a solution.
The increase in pH of an acetate buffer after dilution with water is due to the decrease in the concentration of the acetic acid and acetate ions in the solution. This decreases the buffering capacity of the solution, causing the pH to shift towards the pKa of acetic acid (4.76) as the system is no longer able to resist changes in pH as effectively.
can you be more specific? "the" acid? pH of buffered solutions generally will not change upon dilution, following the henderson-hasselbach. however, pH of strong acids will change, following the standard equation: pH = -log[H+] yerp
When an acidic solution is added to a basic solution, the pH will decrease. This is because the addition of the acidic solution will neutralize some of the hydroxide ions in the basic solution, resulting in a decrease in pH.
It depends on the pH of the dilutant. if the dilution substance is base the acidic solution will become less acidic moving toward neutral pH, the more it is diluted the less acidic it will become. A base solution will remain base or about 7 pH
Bicarbonate increases pH levels in a solution.
Buffer dilution decreases the effectiveness of a solution in maintaining a stable pH level because it reduces the concentration of buffering agents, making it less able to resist changes in pH when acids or bases are added.
Diluting a strong acid will generally have little effect on its pH. This is because strong acids completely dissociate in water to give H+ ions, so adding more water will not change the concentration of H+ ions significantly. Therefore, the pH of a strong acid solution remains relatively constant upon dilution.
The pH will decrease if HCl is added to a basic solution because HCl is an acid and will introduce more H+ ions into the solution, shifting the pH towards the acidic range.
Yes, the presence of CO2 in a solution can lead to a decrease in pH due to the formation of carbonic acid when CO2 reacts with water. This reaction increases the concentration of hydrogen ions in the solution, lowering the pH.