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What is it?
pH is a term that refers to the relative concentration of hydrogen ions (H+) in a solution, and therefore whether the solution is acid or base. It's a lot easier to refer to the pH of a solution than to the "negative logarithm of the hydrogen ion concentration!"
Give me an example! Have you ever heard someone refer to the "acid test" or "litmus test" of something? They are referring to a way of determining the true nature of something ... like whether a solution is an acid or a base. Litmus paper is coated with special sensitive chemicals and cut into small strips for testing the pH of soultions. Acidic solutions turn litmus paper red: Basic solutions turn it blue. |
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