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Tuesday, September 21, 2010

Reflective Post....on pH stuff...whoo...

So pH levels....pretty cool stuff right? pH levels are determined by the concentration of ions in a substance. In pure water (H2O), there is 1 ion for every 555 million water molocules, this can be noted as 1x10^-7. On the pH scale water is a 7 (neutral). The number on the pH scale is the exponent on the scientific notation (not the log... Michael) of the concentration of hydrogen ions. Acids are H+, meaning they have a higher concentration of Hydrogen ions which makes the exponent smaller (1x10^-2, or something......you do know what an exponent is right?) Bases, which are on the other end of the pH scale have more OH-. Since the have more OH- their concentration of H+ is smaller, resulting in a higher exponent value(seems backwards right?).   Water.....the magical liquid of life has a pH level of 7. pH level 7 is in the middle of the pH table (0-14....do the math). Water is special enough to get the pH level of 7 because it has one H+ and one OH- ion. (H+) + (OH-) = (H2O). Since water has one of each charged molocule it is neutral....a positive and a negative charge cancel out.

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