The pH scale is a measurement used in chemistry. It denotes the acidity or basicity of a solution or component. pH is measured against water. All other liquids, substances, or aqueous solutions are measured against the acidity or base of the water. The range of pH is from zero to fourteen with 7 being neutral. pH less than 7 is indication of acidity while pH more than 7 is indication of base. A water solution can be said to be acidic when it contains a greater number of hydrogen ions while more hydroxyl ions indicate that the water is basic.

pH Scale

The pH helps in determining the solubility as well as biological availability which in some ways are connected to the study of acids and bases. That is why pH scales acids and bases are so important. As already discussed, the bases or alkaline substances have a pH scale of above 7 to 14 while acids have a pH scale of below 7 to 0.  For example, an acid of 0 pH is battery acid. A base of 14 pH is drain cleaner and a pH of 7 is blood or normal water. 

pH Scales Acids and Bases

The pH meters come in various sizes and are very easy to use and portable. Those substances having pH higher than 7 are bases and those lower than 7 are acidic. The pH scales are used for determining how acidic or how alkaline a given substance or a solution is.  The pH meter needs to be calibrated in pure water with a pH of 7 before use. Excessive low or high pH of water can be detrimental in many regards and that is why pH scale acids and bases are used. Low pH water on pH scales acids and bases can severely corrode other materials. 

pH Scale Chart

The pH scale Chart can be a very good visual tool to remember the various acidity and alkalinity of substances. It is a good way of storing and accessing easy information quickly and effortlessly. The scale of pH is given in the following table:

pH = 0Battery acidHighly Acidic
pH = 1Hydrochloric AcidHighly Acidic
pH = 2VinegarAcidic
pH = 3Orange JuiceAcidic
pH = 4Tomato juiceLess Acidic
pH = 5Black CoffeeLess Acidic
pH = 6UrineLeast Acidic
pH = 7Pure WaterNeutral
pH = 8Sea WaterAlkaline
pH = 9Baking SodaAlkaline
pH = 10Magnesia MilkAlkaline
pH = 11Ammonia SolutionVery Alkaline
pH = 12Soapy WaterVery Alkaline
pH = 13BleachMost Alkaline
pH = 14 Drain CleanerMost Alkaline

pH Scale Examples (0-14)

pH scale examples 0-14 are provided in the following section in descending order starting from 0 ending at 14:

  • Battery Acid (0)
  • Concentrated sulphuric acid (1)
  • Lemon Juice (2)
  • Soda (3)
  • Tomato Juice (4)
  • Black Coffee (5)
  • Milk (6)
  • Pure water (7)
  • Eggs (8)
  • Baking soda (9)
  • Salt Lake (10)
  • Ammonia solution (11)
  • Soapy water (12)
  • Oven Cleaner (13)
  • Drain Cleaner (14)

Conclusion

pH is also a logarithm that measures the concentration of hydrogen ions and hydroxyl ions in a solution. The pH is an extremely important instrument in chemistry for measuring the chemical changes occurring in water. pH Scales acids and bases are a common topic of chemistry.