QQuestionChemistry
QuestionChemistry
Orange juice has a pH of about 3, and tomato juice has a pH of about 4. Why does orange juice have a lower pH?
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Answer
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Step 1:Let's solve this step by step:
Step 2:: Understanding pH Scale
The pH scale measures the concentration of hydrogen ions [H+] in a solution. The scale ranges from 0 to 14, where: - pH < 7 indicates an acidic solution - pH = 7 is neutral - pH > 7 indicates a basic (alkaline) solution
Step 3:: Relationship Between pH and Hydrogen Ion Concentration
pH = -\log_{10}[H^{+}]
The pH is defined by the mathematical relationship:
Step 4:: Comparing Hydrogen Ion Concentrations
- Orange juice (pH = 3) has $$[H^{+}] = 10^{-3} \text{ mol/L}
- Tomato juice (pH = 4) has [H^{+}] = 10^{- 4} \text{ mol/L}
Step 5:: Analyzing the Difference
Orange juice has a 10 -fold higher concentration of hydrogen ions compared to tomato juice. This is because each whole number decrease in pH represents a 10 -fold increase in hydrogen ion concentration.
Final Answer
This is likely caused by its higher content of citric acid and other organic acids naturally present in oranges.
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