1. What is pOH?

pOH is a measure of the hydroxide ion (OH⁻) concentration in a solution. It represents the alkalinity of a solution and is the negative logarithm (base 10) of the hydroxide ion concentration.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the pOH formula:

Where:

• \( [OH^-] \) — Hydroxide ion concentration in moles per liter (mol/L)

Explanation: The formula calculates the negative base-10 logarithm of the hydroxide ion concentration, providing a measure of solution alkalinity.

3. Importance of pOH Calculation

Details: pOH is important in acid-base chemistry for determining the basicity of solutions, calculating pH (since pH + pOH = 14 at 25°C), and understanding chemical equilibrium in aqueous solutions.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter the hydroxide ion concentration in mol/L. The value must be greater than 0. For very dilute solutions, scientific notation may be used (e.g., 1e-7 for 0.0000001).

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: What is the relationship between pH and pOH?
A: At 25°C, pH + pOH = 14. This relationship allows conversion between acidity and basicity measurements.

Q2: What are typical pOH values for common solutions?
A: Acidic solutions have pOH > 7, neutral solutions have pOH = 7, and basic solutions have pOH < 7 at 25°C.

Q3: How does temperature affect pOH?
A: The pH + pOH relationship changes with temperature due to the temperature dependence of water's ion product (Kw).

Q4: Can pOH be negative?
A: Yes, for very concentrated basic solutions where [OH⁻] > 1 M, pOH can be negative.

Q5: How accurate is this calculation?
A: The calculation is mathematically precise, but actual pOH values in real solutions may be affected by ionic strength and other factors.