The pH of an aqueous solution of sodium chloride at 60°C is — Ionic Equilibrium Chemistry Question

💡 Solution & Explanation

An aqueous solution of NaCl is chemically neutral. However, at 60°C, the ionic product of water ($K_w$) is greater than $1.0 \times 10^{-14}$ because autoionization is endothermic. Consequently, in a neutral solution at 60°C, $[\text{H}^+] = \sqrt{K_w} > 1.0 \times 10^{-7}\text{ M}$. Taking the negative logarithm, the neutral pH at 60°C will be less than 7.0.