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Kw's Temperature Dependence

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State

Kw is temperature-dependent, since water's autoionization is endothermic, so Kw grows and neutral pH drops below 7 as temperature rises above 25 °C.

Show

Hot water can measure below pH 7 while remaining perfectly neutral, since its own Kw has shifted.

Watch for

A pH below 7 signals acidic only relative to that temperature's neutral point, not always relative to 7.

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