Question

How is the concentration of hydronium ions $\left({\mathrm{H}}_3{\mathrm{O}}^{+}\right)$affected when a solution of an acid is diluted?

Answer 1

Acid:

• An acid is a chemical compound (a molecule or an ion) that has the capacity to either give or receive protons.
• The cations that are created when water protonates are called hydronium ions.
• A definite number of hydronium ions are present per unit volume of the solution when a particular amount of acid is introduced to water. The concentration of hydronium ions$=\frac{\mathrm{Volume}\mathrm{of}\mathrm{acid}}{\mathrm{Volume}\mathrm{of}\mathrm{solution}}$
• The concentration of hydronium ions will decrease with dilution as a result of the reaction between the acid's ${\mathrm{H}}^{+}$ion and the water's ${\mathrm{OH}}^{-}$ ion, which results in the formation of${\mathrm{H}}_2\mathrm{O}$.
• Thus making a solution less acidic with the decrease in the concentration of hydronium ion.

Therefore, the decrease in the concentration of hydronium ions due to dilution will make a solution less acidic.