To determine the pH of a [tex]$5.5 \times 10^{-6} M$[/tex] HBr solution, we need to follow a step-by-step process.
1. Understanding HBr Dissociation:
HBr (hydrobromic acid) is a strong acid, which means it will dissociate completely in water. The dissociation can be written as:
[tex]\[
\text{HBr} \rightarrow \text{H}^+ + \text{Br}^-
\][/tex]
2. Concentration of Hydrogen Ions ([tex]\([\text{H}^+]\)[/tex]):
Since HBr dissociates completely, the concentration of hydrogen ions ([tex]\([\text{H}^+]\)[/tex]) in the solution will be equal to the initial concentration of HBr. Therefore:
[tex]\[
[\text{H}^+] = 5.5 \times 10^{-6} \, \text{M}
\][/tex]
3. Calculating pH:
The pH of a solution is calculated using the formula:
[tex]\[
\text{pH} = -\log_{10}([\text{H}^+])
\][/tex]
Substituting the value of [tex]\([\text{H}^+]\)[/tex]:
[tex]\[
\text{pH} = -\log_{10}(5.5 \times 10^{-6})
\][/tex]
4. Result:
After performing the calculation, we find that:
[tex]\[
\text{pH} \approx 5.259637310505756
\][/tex]
Therefore, the pH of a [tex]$5.5 \times 10^{-6} M$[/tex] HBr solution is approximately 5.26.