A student was assigned to take water samples from a lake near his home. He measured the pH of one of the water samples to be 6.0. Which of the following best describes this sample of water?

a
slightly acidic
b
highly basic
c
highly acidic
d
slightly basic
e
neutral

1 answer

The pH scale ranges from 0 to 14, with 7 being neutral. A pH less than 7 indicates acidity, while a pH greater than 7 indicates basicity. Since the measured pH of the water sample is 6.0, which is below 7, the water is considered to be acidic.

Specifically, a pH of 6.0 is slightly acidic, as it is close to neutral but still on the acidic side.

Therefore, the best description of this water sample is:

a) slightly acidic