The \(\mathrm{pH}\) of a solution of a strong acid was determined to be 3 . If water is then added to dilute this solution, would the \(\mathrm{pH}\) change? Why or why not? Could enough water ever be added to raise the \(\mathrm{pH}\) of an acid solution above 7 ?

A strong acid is one that completely dissociates in water. This means that when you dissolve a strong acid in water, it releases all its hydrogen ions (H^+) into the solution. Examples of strong acids include hydrochloric acid (HCl), sulfuric acid (H_2SO_4), and nitric acid (HNO_3).
Because they dissociate completely, the concentration of hydrogen ions in the solution is equal to the concentration of the acid.
This characteristic is crucial for pH calculations and understanding the behavior of acids in solution.

The dilution effect describes what happens when you add water to a solution. For acids, adding water decreases the concentration of hydrogen ions (H^+ ).
This reduction in ion concentration means that the solution becomes less acidic.
As a result, the pH of the solution increases. Dilution makes it easier to see the impacts of adding water:

• The H^+ concentration goes down
• The pH goes up (because pH is inversely related to H^+ concentration)

Remember, the nature of the original solution remains. So if you start with an acidic solution, diluting it still leaves it acidic, though less so.

Acid-base chemistry is the branch of chemistry that deals with acids, bases, and their reactions. Understanding the interaction between acids and bases in solutions is paramount to grasping pH changes.
Acids are substances that donate hydrogen ions (H^+), while bases accept these ions.
The strength of an acid or base depends on its ability to donate or accept ions. In a strong acid, complete dissociation occurs, leading to high hydrogen ion concentration.
When acids and bases combine, neutralization reactions occur, producing water and salts. These reactions help to balance the pH of the solution. Basic understanding of how acids and bases interact and how pH responds to changes in ion concentrations is vital.

pH calculation is fundamental to understanding the acidity or basicity of a solution. The pH is defined as the negative logarithm (base 10) of the hydrogen ion concentration ([H^+]) in molarity.
The formula is:
pH = -log[H^+]
To find the pH, you just need to know the H^+ concentration. For instance, if [H^+] is 10^{-3}, then:
pH = -log(10^{-3}) = 3
Adding water to the solution of a strong acid decreases the ion concentration and increases the pH. However, for strong acids, the pH typically won't go above 7, as that would mean the solution has become basic. A thorough understanding of pH calculations helps in predicting how adding substances to a solution will affect its pH.