The pH scale
The pH Scale
• What does pH mean?
• pH means potential hydrogen, which is a
measure of the Hydrogen or hydronium ion
concentration
pH in water ranges from 0-14
• The pH scale measures how acidic or basic a
substance is.
• A pH of 7 is neutral.
• A pH less than 7 is acidic.
• A pH greater than 7 is basic.
Measuring pH
• Sensitive dyes known as indicators can determine pH
• Universal Indicator is a mixture of indicators and can
also provide a full range of colors for the pH scale.
• Other commercial pH papers are able to give different
colors for every main pH value.
• Litmus paper: paper treated with an indicator to
determine if a solution is an acid or a base
Blue Litmus Red Litmus
Acid turns red stays same
Base stays same turns blue
Measuring pH
Electrochemical measurement is also used in the
form of a pH meter that has a probe that is sensitive
to the concentration of [H+]
Calculating pH
• The pH scale is logarithmic and as a result, each whole pH
value below 7 is ten times more acidic than the next higher
value.
• For example:
• pH 4 is ten times more acidic than pH 5 and 100 times (10 times
10) more acidic than pH 6.
• The same holds true for pH values above 7, each of which is ten
times more alkaline (another way to say basic) than the next lower
whole value.
• For example, pH 10 is ten times more alkaline than pH 9 and 100
times (10 times 10) more alkaline than pH 8.
Definition of pH and
pOH
• The concentrations of hydrogen ions and indirectly
hydroxide ions are given by a pH number.
• pH is defined as the negative logarithm of the hydrogen
ion concentration.
• The equation is: pH = - log [H+]
• pOH is a measurement of the hydroxide ion
concentration [OH-].
• The equation is: pOH = - log [OH-]
The following diagram illustrates the relationship
between pH, H+, OH-
Equations used in acid/base calculations
• pH = -log [H+]
• pOH = -log [OH-]
• [H+] = 10-pH
• [OH-] = 10-pOH
• pH + pOH = 14
• [H+][OH-]= 1.0 x 10-14
Example: If an acid has an H+
concentration of 0.0001 M, find the
pH.
Solution:
First convert the number to scientific notation, find the
log, then solve the pH equation.
[H+] = 0.00010M = 1.0 x 10-4
pH = - log [ H+] = - log (1.0 x 10-4)
pH= 4.00
• The purpose of the negative sign in the log definition is
to give a positive pH value.
pH and Sig figs
• The number of sig figs in the ion concentration will be the number of
decimal places in the pH or pOH.
• Ex. [H+]= 1.32 x 10-5 3 sig figs
pH=4.879 3 decimal places
Example 1: Calculate the concentration of [H3O+],
[OH-] and pOH in a 0.025M solution of hydrochloric
acid. The pH of the solution is 1.60
Solution:
• First find the pOH, by using pH +pOH= 14
1.60 + pOH =14
pOH= 14 -1.60 pOH= 12.40
• Now you can use the pH and pOH to find the ion
concentrations.
[H+]= 10-pH [H+]= 10-1.60 [H+]= .025 M
[OH-] = 10-pOH [OH-] = 10-12.40 [OH-]= 4.0 x 10-13 M
Example 2: Calculate pOH, [H+] & [OH-]for a
0.0028M HBr, hydrobromic acid solution when the
pH=2.55.
• Solution
• First find the pOH, by using pH +pOH= 14
2.55 + pOH =14
pOH= 14 – 2.55 pOH= 11.45
• Now you can use the pH and pOH to find the ion concentrations.
[H+]= 10-pH [H+]= 10-2.55 [H+]= .0028M
[OH-] = 10-pOH [OH-] = 10-11.45 [OH-]= 3.6 x 10-12 M
Example 3: The [OH-] of a 0.010 M ammonia
(NH3) solution is 1.34 x 10-3. Calculate the [H+], pH
and pOH for this solution.
• Solution
• First find the pOH, by using pOH= -log[OH-]
pOH = -log(1.34 x 10-3)
pOH= 2.873
• Now you can find the pH, using pH + pOH = 14
pH + 2.873 = 14 pH = 14 - 2.873 pH = 11.127
[H+]= 10-pH [H+]= 10-11.127 [H+]= 7.46 x 10-12 M
Example 4: The [H3O+] of a 0.020 M acetic acid
solution is 1.89 x 10-3. Calculate the [OH-], pH &
pOH for this solution.
• Solution
• First find the pOH, by using pH= -log[H+]
pH = -log(1.89 x 10-3)
pH= 2.724
• Now you can find the pOH, using pH + pOH = 14
2.724 + pOH = 14 pOH = 14 - 2.724 pH = 11.276
[OH-]= 10-pOH [OH-]= 10-11.276 [OH-]= 5.30 x 10-12 M
