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Created 3/25/18. Updates available online.

pH Scale

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

About

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 1.2.11

For Teachers

Teacher Tips

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

Teacher-Submitted Activities

Title Gold Star Contribution Contribution by PhET Authors Level Type
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
HS
MS		 Lab
CQs
Alignment of PhET sims with NGSS This contribution was designed by PhET. Trish Loeblein HS Other
How do PhET simulations fit in my middle school program? This contribution was designed by PhET. Sarah Borenstein MS Other
PhET Sims Aligned to the Chemistry Curriculum This contribution was designed by PhET. Julia Chamberlain HS
UG-Intro		 Other
pH Learning Goals by developement team (Inquiry Based) This contribution was designed by PhET. Trish Loeblein, Laurie Langdon Other Other
MS and HS TEK to Sim Alignment Elyse Zimmer HS
MS		 Other
On the molecular level, what is the difference between acids and bases? Chris Justus HS Guided
What effect does dilution of an acid or base have on the pH of the solution? Chris Justus HS Guided
Student Guide for PhET - pH Scale in html5 Brian Libby HS
MS		 HW
Guided
pH Scale Guided Inquiry Activity Tony Tracy HS
UG-Intro		 Lab
HW
Guided
Exploring the pH Scale Lyric Portwood HS
MS		 Guided
Introduction to acids & bases Donna Brewster HS Guided
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
HS
UG-Intro		 Guided
MC
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 HS
UG-Intro
UG-Adv
K-5
MS
Grad		 Discuss
HW
¿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

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Translations

Language Download or Run Tips
Arabic All العربية Run now pH Scale
Bosnian All Bosanski Run now pH skala
Bulgarian All български Run now Скала pH
Chinese (Simplified) All 中文 (中国) Run now PH值
Chinese (Traditional) All 中文 (台灣) Run now pH Scale_酸鹼性
Croatian All hrvatski Run now pH skala
Czech All čeština Run now pH stupnice
Danish All Dansk Run now pH-skala
Dutch All Nederlands Run now pH schaal
Estonian All Eesti Run now pH skaala
Finnish All suomi Run now pH-asteikko
French All français Run now pH Scale
German All Deutsch Run now pH Skala
Greek All Ελληνικά Run now Κλίμακα pH
Hebrew All עברית Run now סולם pH
Hindi All हिंदी Run now pH माप 
Hungarian All magyar Run now pH skála
Irish All Gaeilge Run now Scála pH
Italian All italiano Run now Scala del pH
Kannada All Kannada Run now pH ನ ಪ್ರಮಾಣ
Kazakh All Kazakh Run now pH:шәкіл
Korean All 한국어 Run now pH 척도
Latvian All Latviešu Run now pH skala
Marathi All मराठी Run now pH (सामु) मापन
Norwegian Bokmal All Norsk bokmål Run now pH-skala
Oriya All Oriya Run now pH ସ୍କେଲ୍
Polish All polski Run now Skala pH
Portuguese (Brazil) All português (Brasil) Run now Escala de pH
Russian All русский Run now Шкала pH
Serbian All Српски Run now pH СКАЛА
Sinhalese All Sinhalese Run now pH පරිමාණය
Slovak All Slovenčina Run now pH škála
Slovenian All Slovenščina Run now pH lestvica
Spanish All español Run now Escala de pH Download teacher tips PDF
Spanish (Mexico) All español (México) Run now Escala de pH
Spanish (Peru) All español (Perú) Run now Escala de pH
Spanish (Spain) All español (España) Run now Escala de pH
Swedish All svenska Run now pH-skala
Tamil All Tamil Run now pH பெறுமானம்
Thai All ไทย Run now ค่า pH
Turkish All Türkçe Run now pH Ölçeği
Vietnamese All Tiếng Việt Run now Thang đo pH

Software Requirements

Windows 7+ Mac OS 10.7+ iPad and iPad Mini with iOS Chromebook with Chrome OS
Microsoft Edge and Internet Explorer 11, latest version of Firefox, latest version of Chrome.
Safari 9+, latest version of Firefox, latest version of Chrome.
Latest version of Safari
Latest version of Chrome

Credits

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)
  • undefined
  • Royal Society of Chemistry
English
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