What Happens to the PH of a 1M Solution of Hydrochloric

question 120

Multiple Choice

What happens to the pH of a 1M solution of hydrochloric acid, HCl, as carbon dioxide gas is bubbled into it?

• A)The pH decreases as the solution becomes more acidic since carbon dioxide reacts to form carbonic acid thus increasing the overall acid concentration.
• B)The pH increases as the solution becomes more basic since the carbon dioxide continues to tie up more and more of the hydrogen ions as associated carbonic acid molecules.
• C)The pH remains unchanged. Carbon dioxide is unable to affect the pH in the presence of such a concentrated solution of such a strong acid.
• D)At first the pH will increase as carbon dioxide ties up the hydrogen ions from the solution. Once the concentration of the resulting carbonic acid becomes greater than 1M, the pH will begin to decrease indicating the presence of more acid.