Step 1: Understanding the Question:
The question asks us to match various common biological and household fluids in Column-I with their standard physiological pH ranges listed in Column-II.
Step 2: Key Formula or Approach:
The pH scale ranges from 0 to 14.
- pH \(\lt \) 7 indicates an acidic solution.
- pH = 7 indicates a neutral solution.
- pH \(\gt \) 7 indicates a basic/alkaline solution.
Step 3: Detailed Explanation:
• Let us evaluate each fluid and its typical pH:
- (P) Tomato juice: Tomatoes contain organic acids like citric and malic acids, making them moderately acidic. The typical pH range is around 4.0 - 4.4 (Match: 4).
- (Q) Gastric juice: The stomach secretes concentrated hydrochloric acid (\(HCl\)) to aid digestion. This makes gastric juice highly acidic, with a typical pH of 1.0 - 3.0 (Match: 5).
- (R) Blood: Human arterial blood must be maintained within a very narrow, slightly basic range to support life, stabilized by bicarbonate buffer systems. This range is 7.3 - 7.5 (Match: 1).
- (S) Saliva: Human saliva is generally slightly acidic to neutral, typically ranging from 6.5 - 7.5 depending on food intake (Match: 2).
- (T) Coffee: Black coffee contains various weak acids, giving it a mildly acidic pH range of 4.5 - 5.5 (Match: 3).
• Combining these matches:
- P \(\to\) 4
- Q \(\to\) 5
- R \(\to\) 1
- S \(\to\) 2
- T \(\to\) 3
• This matches the pattern (4) (5) (1) (2) (3), which is Option (C).
Step 4: Final Answer:
The correct matching sequence is Option (C).