Science & Nature · 2

What is the pH of pure water at 25°C?

Answer

7

Pure water at 25°C (77°F) has a pH of exactly 7.0, which is defined as neutral on the pH scale. The pH scale, ranging from 0 to 14, measures hydrogen ion (H+) concentration using the formula pH = -log[H+]. Pure water undergoes autoionization, producing equal concentrations of H+ and OH- ions (10^-7 molar each) at 25°C. The neutral point shifts with temperature: at higher temperatures, pure water has a pH below 7 because autoionization increases. The pH scale was developed by Danish biochemist Søren Peder Lauritz Sørensen in 1909.

💡 Did you know?

The pH scale (0-14) has 7 as neutral; below 7 is acidic (lemon juice ~2), above 7 is basic (bleach ~13).

Other options people guess

  • 5
  • 6
  • 8

Topics

  • chemistry
  • acids-bases

Know your science & nature trivia?

Play a free Science & Nature quiz and see how many you get right — no signup needed to start.

More Science & Nature facts