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Making useful products from acidsThe pH scale

Many products require ingredients made by the reaction of acids. These include cleaning products and food additives. Acids are used on an industrial scale to produce chemicals such as fertilisers.

Part of Chemistry (Single Science)Making useful chemicals

The pH scale

The scale measures the or of a .

pHMeaning
\(\textless\)7acidic
= 7neutral
\(\textgreater\) 7alkaline
pH\(\textless\)7
Meaningacidic
pH= 7
Meaningneutral
pH\(\textgreater\) 7
Meaningalkaline

The pH of a solution can be estimated using and a colour chart, or measured using a pH meter.

Learn more on the pH scale in this podcast.

Using an indicator

  1. dip a clean glass rod into the solution
  2. transfer one drop of solution to a piece of universal indicator paper on a white tile
  3. wait 30 seconds for the colour to develop, then match the colour to the colour chart
Universal indicator colours.
Figure caption,
Universal indicator colours and pH values

Using a pH meter

The pH of a solution can be measured using a pH meter:

  1. wash the pH probe with distilled water
  2. put the end of the probe into the solution
  3. record the reading on the pH meter
A pH meter with a probe which is in a beaker of yellow liquid. The meter reads 3.20
Image caption,
A pH meter with its pH probe in an acidic solution

The pH meter may need calibrating first. This is done by adjusting the reading to match the pH of a buffer solution, a solution with a known pH.