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3 Apply Concepts When carbon dioxide, CO_(2) dissolves in water, some of the CO_(2) molecules react with water.This forms carbonate ions and hydronium ions.Will a solution of CO_(2) in water be acidic, basic, or neutral? Explain your answer.

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3 Apply Concepts When carbon dioxide, CO_(2) dissolves in water, some of the CO_(2)
molecules react with water.This forms carbonate ions and hydronium ions.Will
a solution of CO_(2) in water be acidic, basic, or neutral? Explain your answer.

3 Apply Concepts When carbon dioxide, CO_(2) dissolves in water, some of the CO_(2) molecules react with water.This forms carbonate ions and hydronium ions.Will a solution of CO_(2) in water be acidic, basic, or neutral? Explain your answer.

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### Acidic

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## Step 1: Dissolution of CO\(_2\) in Water<br />### When carbon dioxide (CO\(_2\)) dissolves in water, it reacts with water molecules to form carbonic acid (H\(_2\)CO\(_3\)).<br />### The chemical equation for this reaction is:<br />\[CO_2 + H_2O \rightarrow H_2CO_3\]<br /><br />## Step 2: Formation of Ions<br />### Carbonic acid (H\(_2\)CO\(_3\)) is a weak acid and partially dissociates in water to form hydronium ions (H\(_3\)O\(^+\)) and bicarbonate ions (HCO\(_3\)\(^-\)).<br />### The dissociation reaction is:<br />\[H_2CO_3 \rightarrow HCO_3^- + H_3O^+\]<br /><br />## Step 3: Effect on pH<br />### The presence of hydronium ions (H\(_3\)O\(^+\)) increases the acidity of the solution, resulting in a decrease in pH.<br />### Therefore, the solution becomes acidic.<br /><br />#
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