If you want to change the pH of a solution slightly do you use a strong or weak acid?

Answer 1

It depends on how you want to change the pH and by how much, and for what reason.

• Acids will lower the pH, while bases raise it.
• Using a strong acid will make a large change in pH; a weak acid will result in a small change for the same amount of acid, and the effects of a weak acid can be (somewhat) finetuned.
• Some acids contain ions that can affect the other components in solution; using a particular acid type might be necessary for that reason alone.

Answer 2

To change the pH of a solution slightly, you would typically use a weak acid because it ionizes partially and thus can alter the solution's pH more slowly and with less dramatic effects compared to a strong acid, which fully ionizes.