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Created 3/25/18. Updates available online.

pH Scale

pH Scale Screenshot
  • pH
  • Dilution
  • Acids
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About

Topics

  • pH
  • Dilution
  • 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 1.04

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
Using PhET in High School Chemistry- all my activities in pdf 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		 HW
Demo
Lab
Concept Questions for Chemistry using PhET 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		 MC
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 HS
MS
UG-Intro		 CQs
Lab
How Does Dilution Affect pH Levels of Acids and Bases? A gold star indicates high-quality, inquiry-based activities that follow the PhET design guidelines. Jocelyn Gianatasio K-5
MS		 HW
Lab
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 UG-Intro
HS		 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
Investigating pH Ann Hoernke HS CQs
Acid-Base Discovery (ICP/Physical Science Level) S. Mitchell HS Lab
pH Sim Guided instruction Mark Blaisdell HS Lab
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 UG-Intro
MS
HS		 MC
Guided
¿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 HS
MS		 Guided
Onderzoek de pH van vloeistoffen bij volumeverandering en verdunnen Maria Cornelisse/Henk van Lubeck MS Lab
HW
CQs
Demo
pH척도 사용지침서 이화국 HS
UG-Intro		 Lab
Other

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Translations

Language Download or Run Tips
Albanian All shqip Run now Shkallë e pH
Arabic All العربية Run now pH مقياس
Arabic (Saudi Arabia) All العربية (السعودية) Run now pH مقياس
Basque All Basque Run now pH eskala
Bosnian All Bosanski Run now pH SKALA
Chinese (Simplified) All 中文 (中国) Run now PH值
Chinese (Traditional) All 中文 (台灣) Run now pH Scale: pH 刻度
Croatian All hrvatski Run now pH
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 Echelle de pH
Galician All Gallegan Run now Escala pH
Georgian All Georgian Run now pH სკალა
German All Deutsch Run now pH Skala
Greek All Ελληνικά Run now Κλίμακα pH
Hebrew All עברית Run now סולם pH
Hungarian All magyar Run now pH-skála
Indonesian All Bahasa Indonesia Run now Skala pH
Italian All italiano Run now Scala del pH
Japanese All 日本語 Run now pH スケール
Kazakh All Kazakh Run now pH:шәкіл
Korean All 한국어 Run now pH 척도
Latvian All Latviešu Run now pH skala
Macedonian All македонски Run now рН Скала
Maori All Maori Run now āwhata pH
Norwegian Bokmal All Norsk bokmål Run now pH-skala
Persian All فارسی Run now pH مقیاس
Polish All polski Run now skala pH
Portuguese All português Run now Escala de 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
Slovak All Slovenčina Run now pH škála
Slovenian All Slovenščina Run now pH lestvica
Spanish All español Run now Escala de pH
Spanish (Mexico) All español (México) Run now Escala de pH
Spanish (Peru) All español (Perú) Run now Escala de pH
Swedish All svenska Run now pH-skala
Thai All ไทย Run now ค่า pH
Turkish All Türkçe Run now pH Ölçeği
Turkmen All Turkmen Run now pH şkala
Vietnamese All Tiếng Việt Run now Thang đo pH

Software Requirements

Windows Macintosh Linux
Microsoft Windows
XP/Vista/7/8.1/10
Latest version of Java
OS X 10.9.5 or later
Latest version of Java
Latest version of Java

Credits

Design Team Third-party Libraries Thanks To
  • Wendy Adams
  • Jack Barbera
  • Laurie Langdon
  • Patricia Loeblein
  • Chris Malley (developer)
  • Archie Paulson (lead)
  • Kathy Perkins
  • Piccolo
English
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