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Q:  What
is pH?
A:
What is pH? Acidic and basic are two extremes that describe chemicals,
just like hot and cold are two extremes that describe temperature. Mixing
acids and bases can cancel out their extreme effects, much like mixing
hot and cold water can even out the water temperature. A substance that
is neither acidic nor basic is neutral. The pH scale measures how acidic
or basic a substance is. It ranges from 0 to 14. A pH of 7 is neutral.
A pH less than 7 is acidic, and a pH greater than 7 is basic. Each whole
pH value below 7 is ten times more acidic than the next higher value.
For example, a pH of 4 is ten times more acidic than a pH of 5 and 100
times (10 times 10) more acidic than a pH of 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, a pH
of 10 is ten times more alkaline than a pH of 9. Pure water is neutral,
with a pH of 7.0. When chemicals are mixed with water, the mixture can
become either acidic or basic. Vinegar and lemon juice are acidic substances,
while laundry detergents and ammonia are basic. Chemicals that are very
basic or very acidic are called "reactive." These chemicals can cause
severe burns. Automobile battery acid is an acidic chemical that is
reactive. Automobile batteries contain a stronger form of some of the
same acid that is in acid rain. Household drain cleaners often contain
lye, a very alkaline chemical that is reactive.
ph scale
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