The+pH+Factor


 * The pH Factor**

[Note: Each step in the pH scale represents a 10-fold change in value. For example, milk (6.0) is ten times more acidic than pure water (7.0). A substance with a pH value of 5.0 is 100 times more acidic than pure water, and so on...... The same is true as you move **up** the pH scale: Baking soda (8.0) is 10 times more alkaline than pure water (7.0) and a substance with a pH of 9.0 is 100 times more alkaline than pure water.]

pH is an important chemical property because it is a measure of how acidic or how alkaline (basic) a substance is. As you can see from the above diagram, 7 is right in the middle of the scale and is the number that is considered to be neutral. Pure water (water that contains nothing but oxygen and hydrogen atoms) has a pH of 7. The lower the pH number, the higher the acidity. The higher the pH number, the higher the alkalinity. Which is more acidic, ammonia or vinegar? If you said vinegar, you are correct! But there is much, much more to learn about pH. **Activity One** Read Section 3, page 322 in your textbook. Answer the following questions: On [|this site], you will find information about pH and the pH scale.
 * Part 1.**
 * 1) What are the properties of acids?
 * 2) What kind of ions are formed in acidic solutions?
 * 3) List 5 common uses for acids.
 * 4) How are stalactites and stalagmites formed?
 * 5) What are the properties of bases?
 * 6) What kind of ions are formed in basic solutions?
 * 7) List 5 common uses for bases.
 * 8) What is pH?
 * 9) How would you know if a solution was neutral?
 * 10) What is used to determine how acidic or how basic a solution is?
 * 11) What is neutralization?
 * 12) How can neutralization be useful to humans?
 * Part 2**
 * 1) What do the letters pH mean?
 * 2) On the pH scale, how much difference is there between units (for example, between a pH of 5 and 6)?
 * 3) What material is used to measure pH?
 * 4) What is the normal pH of rainwater?

Click on to the[| Miami Museum of Science site] to find out all about pH.

What do the letters pH stand for? What does the pH scale measure? Discover the answers to these and other questions on the [|Chem4kids] site.
 * 1) What makes a substance either acidic or basic?
 * 2) On the pH scale, where would acids be found?
 * 3) Where on the pH scale would bases be found?
 * 4) What characteristics describe acids?
 * 5) What characteristics describe bases?
 * 6) What would a pH of 7 indicate?
 * 7) Take the quiz on acids and bases (link found at the bottom of the page).

[|This website] contains basic information written in a language that is easy to understand. Be sure to visit all links within this website. Also check out this interative pH[| scale].
 * 1) In what kinds of fields (or industries) would it be necessary to measure pH?
 * 2) What is the pH of blood? Is this acidic or basic?
 * 3) Is an apple acidic or basic? How do you know?
 * 4) What is the pH of tears? How does this compare to blood pH?
 * 5) What is the pH of coffee?
 * 6) What is the pH of stomach fluids? Does this surprise you?
 * 7) Which substance on this scale has the lowest pH? Is this surprising to you?
 * 8) Which substance on this scale is closest to neutral?
 * 9) If distilled water has no ions at all, what would its pH probably be?

**Activity Two** This [|interactive lab] site allows you learn about pH while you make your own juice bar. You will need three worksheets for this activity, found on [|this site].

You don't always need litmus or pH paper to test for acidity or alkalinity. Check out these [|household products] to see which of them are good acid/base indicators. **Read this [|information] and then take the quiz given to you by your teacher.**

**Activity Three** **Just a little organic pH information:** As humans, our bodies operate best under optimum conditions. The following pH values are considered optimum for the specific tissues listed here.
 * Stomach juice //(hydrochloric acid)// — 1.5 **pH.**
 * Skin —4.7 pH.
 * Saliva —7.1 pH.
 * The cell — 7.1 pH.
 * Blood —7.35 to 7.45 pH.
 * Pancreatic juice — 8.8 pH.
 * Blood with a pH value of 7.45 contains 64.9 % more oxygen than blood with a pH value of 7.3 (slightly more acidic). This may be especially important to you if you are an athlete. Leaving off carbonated sodas could make a difference.
 * Here are some pH values for common beverages: **
 * A popular brand of cola — 2.5. //It takes 32 glasses of// a **//10.0 pH//** //alkaline water to neutralize one can of cola)//
 * Diet soft drinks —3.2
 * Popular brand beer — 4.7 pH.
 * Distilled water —7.0 pH. Filtered tap water — 8.4 pH.
 * Fresh vegetable juice //(greens)// — 8.9 pH.
 * Alkaline water — 10.0 pH.

An interesting [|interactive pH scale] !

**Activity Four** A change in the pH of soil can make a difference in the plants that can grow and the organisms that can live in that environment. Read about [|changes in soil pH] on this site.
 * 1) If you plan to grow tomatoes, what should the pH of your soil be for best results?
 * 2) If you are raising shrimp, what should the pH of the water be?
 * 3) Why is it necessary for farmers and gardeners to check their soil pH?
 * 4) What environmental factors could cause soil to be acidic?
 * 5) What substance(s) could be added to our soil to increase acidity?

**Activity Five** **Due to lack of time before TCAPs, we will not do this activity.**

Animals are affected by changes in pH. This is especially true with [|aquatic animals.] (On this site, the link to trout doesn't work but the NEXT button does. Go ahead and read about what causes pH changes in water. You will land on page three. Advance to pages 4 and 5 when you have finished page 3.) 1. How are fish and bacteria different with respect to the concentrations of H+ ions they can withstand? 2. What is the normal range of pH for most fish? 3. What causes the concentration of heavy metal ions to increase? What effect does this have on aquatic organisms? 4. Under extremely acidic conditions, what can happen to aquatic animals? Under very basic conditions, what can happen? 5. How do airborne pollutants change the pH of rainwater? (Explain) 6. A higher concentration of hydrogen ions means that a solution is __.__ 7. The lower the pH, the higher the ? . 8. A lower concentration of hydrogen ions means that a solution is ?. 9. The higher the pH, the greater the _?. 10. Neutral solutions have a pH of -?.

**Activity Six** Log onto [|this site] and perform an awesome experiment and maybe even play a few science games.

This interactive [|game] will test your memory as well as your knowledge of acids and bases.

**Activity Seven - Lab** **At least one hands-on lab is planned so that you may investigate the pH of a number of common substances.** **Activity Eight****Quiz** Take a little [|quiz on pH] and water quality. Feel free to scroll through the site to find the answers. This [|Quia Quiz] or this [|Quia Quiz] will reveal how much you know about pH.

**Activity Nine****Project** Due to the lack of time left before TCAPs, we will not do this project.



**Begin an investigation for your study of acid rain:** What is [|acid rain]? What [|tools] are used to measure pH? [|Where] does acid rain come from? Our government has [|two ways] to manage air pollution. What are they? When you get to [|this site,] ask your teacher for the **worksheet** that accompanies it. Explore [|this site] to learn even more about acid rain.



Description
In this activity, you will research levels of rainwater and acid rain in west Tennessee, record your findings, and evaluate them. What trends in the data do you see for west Tennessee? ||
 * • || **Software:** Microsoft Internet Explorer, Microsoft Office Excel ||
 * • || **What to do** ||
 * 1. || Open Internet Explorer and go to the [|U.S. Environmental Protection Agency acid rain Web site]. This is the same site listed above. ||
 * 2. || Read the information on the Web page regarding acid rain. ||
 * 3. || Go to the [|National Atmospheric Deposition Web site] to collect data for the pH levels of rainwater for your state. This is the map site referenced below. ||
 * 4. || On the map, click your state. Click on the arrow nearest to McNairy County, Tennessee, and record the longitude, latitude, and pH level. To get the pH level, click **Trend Plots**, click **Field pH**, and then click **Create Plot**. Record the information in an Excel spreadsheet. For a free tutorial on developing a spreadsheet, click [|here]. The website we will use to develop our charts and graphs is the [|Internet4Classrooms] site.
 * Remember that the higher the pH, the lower the acidity.** ||
 * 5. || Answer the following questions based on your research: ||  ||   ||
 * • || How does west Tennessee compare to "normal" rainwater pH of 5.5?
 * • || What do you think are the major contributors of acid rain in Tennessee? ||
 * • || What can you do to help prevent acid rain? ||  ||



Use [|this link] to find out **WHAT TO DO NEXT**. Note the following exceptions to the webquest links: **Ecologist**
 * On the //**EPA Acid Rain Program**// site, use the column on left to navigate to //About Acid Rain//.
 * The **//Acid Rain Links//** button doesn't work.
 * The link, //**Acid Rain - What is it and How is it Measured**//, is out of order.
 * Additional roles for large groups:**
 * 1) Which industries contribute the most to acid rain?
 * 2) What environmental factors (heat, rainfall, etc) contribute the most to acid rain?
 * 3) Which states have the highest incidence of acid rain? What causes this?
 * 4) How does acid rain affect global warming?
 * 5) What laws have been enacted to limit or control acid rain?
 * 6) What is the EPA's position on acid rain?

A [|rubric] will help you understand how your report will be evaluated.

Project due date: April 28, 2010..