Final answer:
An increase of one pH unit indicates there are 10 times fewer hydrogen ions in the solution. This is because the pH scale is logarithmic, meaning each pH unit change corresponds to a tenfold change in hydrogen ion concentration.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question every increase of one pH unit indicates:
- b. 10 times less hydrogen ions in solution
The pH scale is a logarithmic scale used to specify the acidity or alkalinity of an aqueous solution. The pH is defined as the negative logarithm (base 10) of the activity of the hydronium ions ([H+] or [H3O+]) in solution.
When the pH increases by one unit, it indicates that the concentration of hydrogen ions has decreased by a factor of 10. For example, if the pH of a solution changes from 5 to 4, the hydrogen ion concentration increases by 10 times, making the solution more acidic. Conversely, if the pH goes from 4 to 5, the hydrogen ion concentration becomes 10 times less, indicating the solution is becoming less acidic or more basic.