What Happens When HCl is Added to a Solution with a PH

Question

What happens when HCl is added to a solution with a pH of 7.45? A) The pH will be higher than 7.45. B) The solution will become more alkaline. C) The [H⁺] of the solution will increase. D) The pH will be higher than 8.0.

Accepted Answer

Adding HCl, a strong acid, to a solution increases the concentration of hydrogen ions ([H+]), which lowers the pH, making the solution more acidic, not more alkaline. Choices A, B, and D suggest an increase in pH or a shift towards alkalinity, which is incorrect when adding an acid.