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Normal rainwater is slightly acidic, with a pH between:
A5 and 6
B1 and 2
C7 and 8
D9 and 10
Answer & Solution
Correct answer: A. 5 and 6
1. Rain picks up gases from the air as it falls.
2. Carbon dioxide is naturally present in the atmosphere because most organisms produce it as a waste product of metabolism.
3. Normal rainwater has a pH between 5 and 6 due to the presence of dissolved carbon dioxide, which forms carbonic acid.
4. So even unpolluted rain is mildly acidic.
_Source: OpenStax Chemistry 2e (CC BY 4.0), Ch 14 'Acid-Base Equilibria', sections 14.1-14.7_
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