Chemistry / Unit 10 Chem 1821 short lesson, about 20 seconds
Kw's Temperature Dependence
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The idea
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.
In practice
Hot water can measure below pH 7 while remaining perfectly neutral, since its own Kw has shifted.
Where people slip
A pH below 7 signals acidic only relative to that temperature's neutral point, not always relative to 7.
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