PH: Difference between revisions

From Citizendium
Jump to navigation Jump to search
imported>David E. Volk
(add equation form of definition)
imported>David E. Volk
(more equations)
Line 4: Line 4:
pH is defined by
pH is defined by


<math> pH = -log \frac{1}     {\left[H_\mathrm{3}O^+\right]} </math>
<math> pH = -log \left[H_\mathrm{3}O^+\right]  = log \frac{1}{\left[H_\mathrm{3}O^+\right]} </math>
 
Because of concentration of hydroxide ions times the concentration of hydronium ion is constant, namely
 
 
<math> \left[H_\mathrm{3}O^+\right] \left[OH^-\right] = 1.0 x 10^{-14} </math>
 
 
<math> \left(pH + pOH\right) = 14 </math>

Revision as of 15:53, 9 October 2007


Potential of hydrogen (pH) is a scale that measures the acidity or alkalinity of a solution. Values for pH range from 0 (strongly acidic) to 14 (strongly alkaline or basic). The pH of a neutral solution, such as pure water, is 7, whereas the pH of an acidic solution is less than 7 and the pH of a basic solution is greater than 7. The pH scale is logarithmic, meaning that each value is 10 fold the next (for example, a pH of 12 is 10 times more basic than a pH value of 11).

pH is defined by

Because of concentration of hydroxide ions times the concentration of hydronium ion is constant, namely