Can Strong Acids or Bases Have Negative pH Values in Practice?

  • Thread starter Thread starter MaximumTaco
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Ph
AI Thread Summary
Strong acids and bases can indeed have negative pH values in practice, with examples like 10M HCl demonstrating a pH of -1. This phenomenon is not purely theoretical; superacids can achieve these negative pH levels. However, the range of pH values is generally considered to be between 0 and 14 for solutions that adhere to Ostwald's dilution principle. This principle indicates that while pH typically falls within this range, deviations can occur in very dilute or concentrated solutions, allowing for the existence of negative pH values under specific conditions.
MaximumTaco
Messages
44
Reaction score
0
Is it really possible to have strong acid/bases with a negative pH in practice, or is it purely theoretical. Like we say 10M HCl has pH = -1, does it really?

Is there something that limits the range of possible pH values for a solution?
 
Chemistry news on Phys.org
Yes it is possible and does happen, just browse yahoo and look up "superacids", you can easily have a negative pH of -1. And there are NO limits for a pH value.

Wolfson.
 
There is a law called Ostwald's dilution principle, and it states that pH is within 0 and 14 for solutions obeying this law. The response for pH with respect to concentration is somewhat deviated in very dilute and concentrated solutions.
 
Thread 'How to make Sodium Chlorate by Electrolysis of salt water?'

Thread 'How to make Sodium Chlorate by Electrolysis of salt water?'

I have a power supply for electrolysis of salt water brine, variable 3v to 6v up to 30 amps. Cathode is stainless steel, anode is carbon rods. Carbon rod surface area 42" sq. the Stainless steel cathode should be 21" sq. Salt is pure 100% salt dissolved into distilled water. I have been making saturated salt wrong. Today I learn saturated salt is, dissolve pure salt into 150°f water cool to 100°f pour into the 2 gallon brine tank. I find conflicting information about brine tank...
View full post »

Thread 'Ruthenium-Iridium compound with catalytic effects'

Engineers slash iridium use in electrolyzer catalyst by 80%, boosting path to affordable green hydrogen https://news.rice.edu/news/2025/engineers-slash-iridium-use-electrolyzer-catalyst-80-boosting-path-affordable-green Ruthenium is also fairly expensive (a year ago it was about $490/ troy oz, but has nearly doubled in price over the past year, now about $910/ troy oz). I tracks prices of Pt, Pd, Ru, Ir and Ru. Of the 5 metals, rhodium (Rh) is the most expensive. A year ago, Rh and Ir...
View full post »

Similar threads

Something that doesn't make sense to me about calculating the pH
Replies
14
Views
3K
Groundwater Chemistry on an Island
Replies
2
Views
2K
Liming Lakes: A Solution for Acidification?
Replies
4
Views
2K
Chemistry Is pH of strong acid strong base titration always 7 at stoichiometric point?
Replies
2
Views
1K
Disolving NaCl in deionized water gives high pH value
Replies
21
Views
5K
Checking pH meter calibration HCL >37%
Replies
3
Views
3K
Chemistry Are there typos in this snippet causing confusion?
Replies
2
Views
1K
Isoelectric Point: Definition & Calculation
Replies
5
Views
3K
Chemistry Comparing methods of computing pH at equivalence point in titration
Replies
4
Views
1K
When to Use Kw & Ka for Acid Dissociation Calculations
Replies
6
Views
8K

Hot Threads

Recent Insights

Back
Top