pH Scale: Basics
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Topics
- pH
- Acids
- Bases
- Dilution
Description
Test the pH of everyday liquids such as coffee, spit, and soap to determine whether each is acidic, basic, or neutral. Investigate how adding more of a liquid or diluting with water affects pH.
Sample Learning Goals
- Determine if a solution is acidic, basic or neutral
- Place acids or bases in order of relative acidity or basicity
- Relate liquid color to pH
- Predict how solution volume or dilution with water will affect the pH of acids or bases
Teacher Tips
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Overview of sim controls, model simplifications, and insights into student thinking ( PDF ). |
Video Primer
Teacher-Submitted Activities
pH Scale inquiry-based intro to acid-base |
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Trish Loeblein | HS UG-Intro MS |
HW Remote MC Lab |
Chemistry Earth Science Biology |
pH Scale Basics Remote Lab1 |
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Trish Loeblein | UG-Intro MS HS |
Remote MC |
Earth Science Biology Chemistry |
How Does Dilution Affect pH Levels of Acids and Bases? |
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Jocelyn Gianatasio | K-5 MS |
Lab HW |
Chemistry | |
How do PhET simulations fit in my middle school program? |
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Sarah Borenstein | MS | Other | Physics Chemistry Earth Science Biology |
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MS and HS TEK to Sim Alignment | Elyse Zimmer | MS HS |
Other | Biology Chemistry Physics |
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Exploring pH of Common Substances | Alexandra Freeman | HS MS |
Lab HW Guided |
Chemistry Other |
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Discovering Acids and Bases | Jacalyn Fiechter | K-5 | Guided | Chemistry Physics |
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Investigating the pH level of the 11 different basic substances | Mary Ann Patangan, Ivy Grace T. Coronel | MS K-5 |
Lab HW |
Chemistry | ||
¿Cómo una disolución afecta los niveles de pH en ácidos y bases? |
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Joselyn Gianatasio, traducción Diana López | MS HS |
Guided | Chemistry | |
SECUNDARIA: Alineación PhET con programas de la SEP México (2011 y 2017) |
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Diana López | HS MS |
Other | Biology Chemistry Physics Mathematics |
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PRIMARIA: Alineación con programas de la SEP México (2011 y 2017) |
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Diana López | K-5 MS |
Demo Lab Guided HW Discuss |
Astronomy Mathematics Physics Chemistry |
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Preguntas de razonamiento para todas las simulaciones HTML5 |
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Diana López | Grad UG-Intro K-5 UG-Adv MS HS |
HW Discuss |
Chemistry Physics Mathematics Astronomy |
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EXERCÍCIO DE VERIFICAÇÃO DE CARACTERÍSTICAS ÁCIDO BASE | Marcelo Guerra | MS | HW Discuss |
Chemistry | ||
Estudo do pH | Felipe Alves Silveira | MS HS |
Lab Discuss |
Chemistry | ||
PLANO DE AULA PARA O ENSINO MÉDIO | Felipe Alves Silveira e Ana Karine Portela Vasconcelos | MS HS |
Guided | Chemistry | ||
Discusión grupal sobre pH | Johanna Farid Bernal R | HS UG-Intro |
MC Lab Remote |
Chemistry | ||
Post-laboratorio de pH | Johanna Farid Bernal R | HS UG-Intro |
Remote HW Lab MC |
Chemistry | ||
Prelaboratorio pH | Johanna Bernal | HS UG-Intro |
Lab Remote MC |
Chemistry | ||
guia docente | saray vega | HS | Remote | Chemistry | ||
Escala de PH - Alcalino acidez | walter Manuel Trujillo Yaipen | K-5 UG-Adv Other HS Grad UG-Intro MS |
Guided HW Lab Other |
Chemistry Other Physics |
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:
Latest version of Google Chrome
The HTML5 and Flash PhET sims are supported on all Chromebooks.
Chromebook compatible sims
Windows Systems:
Microsoft Edge, latest version of Firefox, latest version of Google Chrome.
Macintosh Systems:
macOS 10.13+, Safari 13+, latest version of Chrome.
Linux Systems:
Not officially supported. Please contact phethelp@colorado.edu with troubleshooting issues.
Design Team | Third-party Libraries | Thanks To |
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