pH Scale – Measuring Acidity and Basicity

📚 Key Concepts

🔹 Real-Life Example

Think of pH as a thermometer for acids and bases! Just as a thermometer measures how hot or cold something is, pH measures how acidic or basic a solution is. Pure water has pH 7 (neutral), lemon juice has pH 2 (very acidic), and soap solution has pH 10 (basic).

pH Scale: A scale that measures the hydrogen ion concentration in a solution, ranging from 0 to 14. pH stands for “power of hydrogen” or “potential of hydrogen.”

🧪 pH Scale Understanding

🔸 pH Values and Nature

• pH < 7: Acidic solutions (more H⁺ ions)
• pH = 7: Neutral solutions (equal H⁺ and OH⁻ ions)
• pH > 7: Basic solutions (more OH⁻ ions)

🔸 Common pH Values

🔍 Advanced: pH in Daily Life

• Human blood: pH 7.4 (slightly basic)
• Stomach acid: pH 1.5-2.0 (highly acidic for digestion)
• Skin: pH 4.5-6.0 (slightly acidic for protection)
• Soil: pH 6.0-7.5 (optimal for most plants)