• humanspiral@lemmy.caEnglish
    92·
    6 days ago

    H2O is neutral PH, and so answer is no. But then water tends to have a bunch of shit disolved in it. So answer is yes.

    A self-contradicting proposition based on ambiguity of definition of water, of all things. This statement can be used to make HAL explode.

    • MunkyNutts@lemmy.worldEnglish
      81·
      6 days ago

      If you take into consideration the self-ionization of water, it’s both, at the same time.

      2 H2O -> H3O+ + -OH

      • humanspiral@lemmy.caEnglish
        2·
        6 days ago

        AFAIU, it doesn’t change the PH neutrality.

        I understand that they self combine/react again? But is that reaction still water?

        • NielsBohron@lemmy.worldEnglish
          5·
          6 days ago

          Autoionization and the reverse reaction are constantly happening in water, and when the reaction is happening at the same rate forward and backward the system is said to be “at dynamic equilibrium” (aka, stuff is happening, but there’s no net change)

          In pure water, the equilibrium concentration of hydronium and hydroxide are equal, so it’s said to be neutral. At room temperature, that equilibrium concentration is approximately 1*10^-7 moles per liter, which gives a pH of 7 (since pH is defined as the negative log _10 of hydronium concentration)