A student prepares two solutions: one of hydrochloric acid (HCl\text{HCl}HCl) and one of ethanoic acid (CH3COOH\text{CH}_3\text{COOH}CH3COOH), both at a concentration of 0.1 mol/dm3. The student observes that the hydrochloric acid has a significantly lower pH than the ethanoic acid.
Explain this observation by comparing the behavior of strong and weak acids in aqueous solution in terms of their ionization.
Practise Edexcel GCSE Chemistry Acids with exam-style questions for Foundation and Higher tier. 276 questions, matched to the Edexcel GCSE Chemistry (1CH0) specification and written in Paper 1 and Paper 2 style. Every question includes a full worked solution and mark scheme, so you can see where marks are awarded rather than just whether you got the answer right.
