JAMB - Chemistry (2005 - No. 1)
Which of the following equimolar solutions will have the highest pH?
CH3COOH
NaOH
HCl
NH4OH
Paliwanag
Equimolar solution implies all the aqueous solutions have the same concentration.
The pH scale ranges from 0 to 14, with 7 being neutral. Values below 7 indicate acidity, and values above 7 indicate basicity. Among all the aqueous solutions we have in the option, NaOH has the highest value, thus it has the highest pH.
NaOH is a strong base, meaning it completely dissociates into ions (Na+ and OH-) in water, resulting in a high concentration of hydroxide ions (OH-) and a high pH.