pH Scale

pH Scale Screenshot
  • pH
  • Dilution
  • Concentration
Java Logo Original Sim and Translations

Topics

  • pH
  • Dilution
  • Concentration
  • Acids
  • Bases

Description

Test the pH of things like coffee, spit, and soap to determine whether each is acidic, basic, or neutral. Visualize the relative number of hydroxide ions and hydronium ions in solution. Switch between logarithmic and linear scales. Investigate whether changing the volume or diluting with water affects the pH. Or you can design your own liquid!

Sample Learning Goals

  • Determine if a liquid is acidic, basic, or neutral
  • Place acids or bases in relative order
  • Describe on a molecular scale, with illustrations, how the water equilibrium varies with pH
  • Determine concentration of hydroxide, hydronium and water at a given pH
  • Relate liquid color to pH
  • Predict (qualitatively and quantitatively) how dilution and volume will affect the pH and concentration of hydroxide, hydronium and water
Version 1.3.4

Teacher Tips

Download teacher tips PDF Overview of sim controls, model simplifications, and insights into student thinking ( PDF ).

Teacher-Submitted Activities

pH Scale inquiry-based intro to acid-base A gold star indicates high-quality, inquiry-based activities that follow the PhET design guidelines. This contribution was designed by PhET. Trish Loeblein UG-Intro
MS
HS		 Lab
MC
HW
Remote		 Earth Science
Chemistry
Biology
Concept questions for Physics using PhET (Inquiry Based) A gold star indicates high-quality, inquiry-based activities that follow the PhET design guidelines. This contribution was designed by PhET. Trish Loeblein HS
UG-Intro		 MC Physics
How do PhET simulations fit in my middle school program? This contribution was designed by PhET. Sarah Borenstein MS Other Biology
Physics
Earth Science
Chemistry
PhET Sims Aligned to the Chemistry Curriculum This contribution was designed by PhET. Julia Chamberlain HS
UG-Intro		 Other Chemistry
pH Learning Goals by developement team (Inquiry Based) This contribution was designed by PhET. Trish Loeblein, Laurie Langdon Other Other Chemistry
Effects of pH Marquita Watkins UG-Intro Guided
Lab
HW		 Biology
Chemistry
Ácidos e bases Caio Rômulo Freitas Silva; Caroline de Goes Sampaio HS Demo Chemistry
MS and HS TEK to Sim Alignment Elyse Zimmer MS
HS		 Other Physics
Biology
Chemistry
Investigation of Acids & pH Jon Tietz HS Lab
HW
Guided		 Chemistry
On the molecular level, what is the difference between acids and bases? Chris Justus HS Guided Chemistry
What effect does dilution of an acid or base have on the pH of the solution? Chris Justus HS Guided Chemistry
Student Guide for PhET - pH Scale in html5 Brian Libby HS
MS		 Guided
HW		 Chemistry
pH Scale Guided Inquiry Activity Tony Tracy HS
UG-Intro		 HW
Lab
Guided		 Chemistry
Exploring the pH Scale Lyric Portwood MS
HS		 Guided Chemistry
Introduction to acids & bases Donna Brewster HS Guided Chemistry
Preguntas de razonamiento para todas las simulaciones HTML5 A gold star indicates high-quality, inquiry-based activities that follow the PhET design guidelines. This contribution was designed by PhET. Diana López UG-Adv
Grad
HS
UG-Intro
MS
K-5		 HW
Discuss		 Astronomy
Physics
Mathematics
Chemistry
Escala de pH, introducción a ácidos y bases con indagación A gold star indicates high-quality, inquiry-based activities that follow the PhET design guidelines. This contribution was designed by PhET. Trish Leoblien, traducción de Diana López MS
UG-Intro
HS		 MC
Guided		 Chemistry
¿Cómo una disolución afecta los niveles de pH en ácidos y bases? A gold star indicates high-quality, inquiry-based activities that follow the PhET design guidelines. Joselyn Gianatasio, traducción Diana López MS
HS		 Guided Chemistry
SECUNDARIA: Alineación PhET con programas de la SEP México (2011 y 2017) This contribution was designed by PhET. Diana López MS
HS		 Other Biology
Chemistry
Mathematics
Physics
PREPARATORIA: Alineación de PhET con programas de la DGB México (2017) This contribution was designed by PhET. Diana López HS
UG-Intro		 Other Mathematics
Physics
Chemistry
EXERCÍCIO DE VERIFICAÇÃO DE CARACTERÍSTICAS ÁCIDO BASE Marcelo Guerra MS HW
Discuss		 Chemistry
Indicador de pH de substâncias do cotidiano. Antonio Marley de Araújo Stedile, Maria Cleide da Silva Barroso MS
HS
UG-Intro		 HW
Guided
Demo
Lab		 Chemistry
Logaritmo e Função Logaritmo Wedson Francelino Ribeiro Noronha, Francisco Régis Vieira Alves HS
UG-Intro		 Discuss
Lab		 Mathematics
Atividade de simulação de Ácidos e Bases Marcelo Henrique Freitas Saraiva Guerra; Ana Karine Portela Vasconcelos MS Guided Chemistry

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HTML5 sims can run on iPads and Chromebooks, as well as PC, Mac, and Linux systems.

iPad:
iOS 12+ Safari
iPad compatible sims

Android:
Not officially supported. If you are using the HTML5 sims on Android, we recommend using the latest version of Google Chrome.

Chromebook:
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Chromebook compatible sims

Windows Systems:
Microsoft Edge, latest version of Firefox, latest version of Google Chrome.

Macintosh Systems:
macOS 10.9.5+, Safari 9+, latest version of Chrome.

Linux Systems:
Not officially supported. Please contact phethelp@colorado.edu with troubleshooting issues.

Design Team Third-party Libraries Thanks To
  • Yuen-ying Carpenter (lead)
  • Chris Malley (developer)
  • Emily B. Moore
  • Ariel Paul
  • Julia Chamberlain
  • Kathy Perkins
  • Patricia Loeblein
  • Sharon Siman-Tov (graphic arts)
  • almond-0.2.9.js
  • base64-js-1.2.0.js
  • FileSaver-b8054a2.js
  • font-awesome-4.5.0
  • game-up-camera-1.0.0.js
  • he-1.1.1.js
  • himalaya-0.2.7.js
  • jama-1.0.2
  • jquery-2.1.0.js
  • lodash-4.17.4.js
  • pegjs-0.7.0.js
  • seedrandom-2.4.2.js
  • text-2.0.12.js
  • TextEncoderLite-3c9f6f0.js
  • Royal Society of Chemistry