What is represented by the ph of a solution

But, there is some controversy as to what the p represents. The Carlsberg Foundation itself says pH means "power of hydrogen". However, German chemists claim it stands for Potenz also meaning power , whereas the French say it is their word for power, puissance. Ancient Romans would have it that it's a Latin phrase, pondus hydrogenii meaning quantity of hydrogen , or perhaps potentia hydrogenii capacity of hydrogen.

The Brits would say it's nothing more complicated than potential hydrogen. Nature Chemistry's Chief Editor Stuart Cantrill stirred up his twitter followers recently by posing the simple-seeming question asking them what the p in pH stands for. Many thought he was taking the p others told alluded to him that he should mind his p's and q's. However, the majority of the guesses were those cited above and Cantrill claimed he was just having a little pHun Nature Chemistry , 2 , —; DOI: Figure 1 illustrates this relationship, along with some examples of various solutions.

Many people enjoy having tropical fish in their homes or businesses. These brightly-colored creatures are relaxing to watch, but do require a certain amount of maintenance in order for them to survive.

Tap water is usually too alkaline when it comes out of the faucet, so some adjustments need to be made. The pH of the water will change over time while it is in the tank, which means you need to test it every so often. Then you get to be a chemist for your fish.

However, in real life that is rarely the situation. If the coefficient is not equal to 1, a calculator must be used to find the pH. When the pH of a solution is known, the concentration of the hydrogen ion can be calculated. The inverse of the logarithm or antilog is the 10 x key on a calculator. For example, suppose that you have a solution with a pH of 9. As we saw earlier, the hydroxide ion concentration of any aqueous solution is related to the hydrogen ion concentration through the value of.

We can use that relationship to calculate the pH of a solution of a base. Sodium hydroxide is a strong base. Find the pH of a solution prepared by dissolving 1. Step 1: List the known values and plan the problem. First, convert the mass of NaOH to moles. Second, calculate the molarity of the NaOH solution. Lastly, calculate the pH.

Step 3: Think about your result. The solution is basic and so its pH is greater than 7. As one can see pH is critical to life, biochemistry, and important chemical reactions. Common examples of how pH plays a very important role in our daily lives are given below:. Learning Objectives To define the pH scale as a measure of acidity of a solution Tell the origin and the logic of using the pH scale. Apply the same strategy for representing other types of quantities such as p K a , p K b , p K w.

Auto-Ionization of Water Because of its amphoteric nature i. Negative pH values are only for academic exercises. Using the concentrations directly conveys a better sense than the pH scales. The pH scale expands the division between zero and 1 in a linear scale or a compact scale into a large scale for comparison purposes.

In mathematics, you learned that there are infinite values between 0 and 1, or between 0 and 0. Using a log scale certainly converts infinite small quantities into infinite large quantities. The Effective Range of the pH Scale It is common that the pH scale is argued to range from or perhaps , but neither is correct. Whenever the value of pOH is less than 7, then it is considered basic. The pH scale does not have an upper nor lower bound. Find the pH of a solution of 0. Concentration is abbreviated by using square brackets, e.

Activity is abbreviated by using "a" with curly brackets, e. Living Systems Molecules that make up or are produced by living organisms usually function within a narrow pH range near neutral and a narrow temperature range body temperature. Common examples of how pH plays a very important role in our daily lives are given below: Water in swimming pool is maintained by checking its pH. Acidic or basic chemicals can be added if the water becomes too acidic or too basic.

Whenever we get a heartburn, more acid build up in the stomach and causes pain. We needs to take antacid tablets a base to neutralize excess acid in the stomach. The pH of blood is slightly basic.