The reaction that occurs when ammonia dissolves in water is as follows:
NH3 + H2O ⇌ NH4+ + OH-
In this reaction, ammonia molecule reacts with water to form ammonium ions NH4+ and hydroxide ions OH-. The presence of hydroxide ions in the solution increases its pH, making it more basic.
For a solution with a pH of 10 at room temperature, the concentration of hydroxide ions [OH-] can be calculated using the following formula:
[OH-] = 10^(-pH) = 10^(-10) M = 1 x 10^-10 M
Therefore, in an ammonia solution with a pH of 10, the hydroxide ions (OH-) are responsible for the basic nature and high pH of the solution.