Understanding pH: The Acidity and Basicity Scale

Ph is the symbol for the acidity or basicity of a solution. It is a measure of the concentration of hydrogen ions (H+) in the solution.

Ph is defined as the negative logarithm of the hydrogen ion concentration, so a higher ph value indicates a higher concentration of hydrogen ions and a more acidic solution, while a lower ph value indicates a lower concentration of hydrogen ions and a more basic solution. The ph scale ranges from 0 to 14, with a ph of 7 being neutral (neither acidic nor basic), and values below 7 being acidic and values above 7 being basic.

For example, water has a ph of 7, while lemon juice has a ph of around 2, indicating that it is much more acidic than water. Similarly, baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) has a ph of around 8.5, indicating that it is slightly basic.