What is pH?

1. What is pH?

2. Acids and Bases 2 • Some of our favorite foods make our tongue curl up because they are SOUR.

3. Bitter! 3 • Some foods have a “bite” of their own because they’re somewhat bitter. • WHY?

4. Acidic/Basic 4 • There is a scientific reason for this: • These foods are either acidic or basic. • Other substances besides foods have these characteristics.

5. Acids and Bases 5 • Chemicals may be classed as acids or bases. • Things that are neither acids nor bases are neutral. • pH measures how acidic or basic a solution is.

6. Acids 6 • Often taste sour * • Strong acids can burn skin & eyes • Strong acids can dissolve metals • Examples: • Lemon juice • Vinegar • Car battery acid (dangerous!) *Never test an unknown acid by tasting it!

7. Bases 7 • Can taste bitter, sweetish, or salty * • Often feel slippery or “soapy” * • Strong bases can burn skin & eyes • Bases react more easily with protein than with metal; they are often used for cleaning • Examples: • Milk • Baking soda • Soap • Drain cleaner (dangerous!) *Never test an unknown base by touching or tasting it!

8. 8 No I am Not: • Some substances are not really an acid or a base: For example, pure water

9. Most Substances: 9 • Can be identified as either acidic or basic • Like the soil in our backyard.

10. pH 10 • A special name is given to the acid or base characteristic that a substance has: • It is called: pH

11. We measure pH by using special strips of paper called pH paper How Do We Measure pH? 11

12. How Does It Work? 12 • The paper is treated with chemicals that change color to show the pH. • When the paper touches the substance being tested, it turns a specific color to tell if the substance is an acid or a base.

13. Acid 13 • Any substance which has a pH of value of less than 7 is considered an acid 0--------------7---------------14 Acid Neutral Base

14. Base 14 • Any substance which has pH value greater than 7 is a base 0--------------7---------------14 Acid Neutral Base

15. pH 7 15 • A pH of 7 is called neutral—neither acid nor base. 0------------7------------14 Acid Neutral Base

16. Acidic or Basic 16 • If the number is less than 7 the soil or water is acidic • If the number is more than 7 the soil or water is basic

17. The pH Scale 17 • pH scale ranges from 0 -14 • pH 7 is neutral; neither acid nor base • Pure water is pH 7 • Low pH = acid • High pH = base • The closer to the ends of the scale, the stronger the solution is

18. 18 The pH Scale

19. Each pH unit is 10times as large as the previous one A change of 2 pH units means 100 times more basic or acidic x10 x100 The pH Scale 19

20. x10 x100 The pH Scale 20 • Careful measurement is important • A mistake of one pH unit means 10 times too much or too little!

21. Why is pH important? 21 Fish can’t live if the pH is too high or too low Soil has to be in a certain pH range for plants to grow and stay healthy.

22. pH and People 22 Water that has too high or low pH may contain harmful dissolved chemicals. Water plant operators keep a careful watch on the pH of our drinking water, to keep it safe.

23. The orange paper reads from pH 0-6.0 (acid). Use the side of the dispenser that begins with pH 0.0. It’s easy to recognize because the colors begin with shades of orange. The yellow paper reads from pH 6.5-13.0 (base). The colors on this side start with yellow (6.5) Two papers, two charts 23 Using two different papers gives a more precise reading.

24. Rain/Soil pH 24 • The pH paper comes in a double roll. Orange is for the low range (0-6). Yellow is for high range (6.5-14). • Since most rainwater and soils have a low pH, begin with the orange paper. • Tear off a 2-inch strip. Do not touch the end you will place in the mixture. • Dip the end of the strip into the rainwater or the soil/water mixture. • Compare the color to the orange color chart (0-6). • If none of the colors match or if there is no color change, repeat the process using the yellow paper and the yellow color chart. Be sure to use the correct color chart!

25. Rainfall pH 25 • If your school has a 1st grade, work with them to measure rainfall pH when they measure rainfall depth. There must be at least 2 mm of rain in the rain gauge to measure rainfall pH. • If your school does not have a 1st grade, you will need to install a rain gauge and define an Atmosphere Study Site to measure rainfall pH. Use the “Precipitation pH Lab Guide” and the “Documenting Your Atmosphere Study Site Field Guide” (from the Teacher’s Guide CD or from www.globe.gov) for instructions on how to define a study site and measure pH.

26. What color is it? 26 Have you tried testing the pH of bleach? What happens? • When you try the orange paper, you get a strange (but pretty) purple color that doesn’t match anything on your chart. • When you try the yellow paper, you get another shade of purple but it doesn’t match either. • Plus, in a couple of seconds the color goes away and the paper turns white! What’s going on?

27. What color is it? 27 Household bleach (Clorox) is a very strong base (around pH 13). It is so strong that even the orange paper will try to match the color. When you use the yellow paper, the pH is still so high the paper can’t get a good color match. Plus, the bleach immediately starts to oxidize, or use up, the chemicals in the paper. So after a couple of seconds, the color goes away completely! Try this: put about 100ml of distilled water in a cup. Measure the pH. Then add about 10 drops of bleach. Swirl or stir and measure the pH. Did you get a reading? What was it?