pH Scale

Activity - Classroom

Grades6-APChemistry, Biology, Mathematics

Scientist Reviewed

Provided by PhET Interactive Simulations

Open Resource

What it is

In this interactive simulation, students investigate the relationship between pH and the concentrations of hydroxide, hydronium, and water using various everyday liquids.
Students are able to manipulate factors such as dilution and volume to determine how these affect the pH and concentrations.

Teaching tips

Positives

The simulation includes molecular illustrations to help students visually compare the concentrations of hydroxide and hydronium.
There are three different levels of the simulation (Macro, Micro, and My Solution) that can be used for different grade levels and purposes.

Additional Prerequisites

Teachers can create a free account to access the teacher tips document, video primer, and activities submitted by other educators.
The simulation is translated into over 70 different languages.

Differentiation

The Macro simulation screen can be used in lower-level science and chemistry courses to introduce the pH scale and the effects of dilution on pH.
Higher-level science and chemistry courses can use the Micro and My Solution simulation screens to explore pH quantitatively in terms of ion concentrations.
This resource can be used in a math class to highlight a real-world application of logarithmic functions and scientific notation. Students can view concentrations on both a linear and logarithmic scale to visualize the importance of logarithmic scales in specific situations.
Teachers can connect this resource to climate change by discussing ocean acidification. Some resources that can help build this connection include this interactive tool to visualize ocean acidification, this brief animated video, and this more detailed video for higher-level students.

From the scientist review

This website provides an excellent simulation for determining if a liquid is acidic, basic, or neutral and how to predict how dilution and volume will affect the pH and concentration of hydroxide, hydronium and water. The PhET website provides teaching resources, activities and translations for kindergarten through twelfth grade students. This simulation would be a great addition to a classroom discussing the effects of climate change on ocean acidification.

How we review resources

Ready to use it?

Hosted on phet.colorado.edu

Open Resource

Want this to fit your class?

Add your location for local examples, questions, and action ideas.

At a glance

Grades: 6-AP
Subjects: Chemistry, Biology, Mathematics
Other types: Interactive Media
Language: English, Spanish, French, Russian, Arabic, Chinese, German, Dutch, Bulgarian, Italian, Turkish, Polish, Portuguese, Japanese, Vietnamese, Indonesian, Persian, Norwegian, Basque, Bosnian, Croatian, Danish, Estonian, Greek, Hebrew, Hungarian, Kazakh, Korean, Lithuanian, Macedonian, Mongolian, Serbian, Slovak, Thai, Turkmen, Afan Oromo, Albanian, Amharic, Azerbaijani, Bengali, Catalan, Faroese, Gallegan, Ganda, Georgian, Gujarati, Haitian Creole, Hausa, Hindi, Icelandic, Igbo, Kannada, Kinyarwanda, Lao, Malay, Nyanja, Oriya, Shona, Sinhalese, Swahili, Tajik, Telugu, Tigrinya, Tswana, Twi, Ukrainian, Urdu, Uzbek, Yoruba, Zulu, Czech, Finnish, Latvian, Marathi, Romanian, Slovenian, Sotho, Swedish, Tamil, Irish
Location: Earth
Provider: PhET Interactive Simulations
Authors: PhET Interactive Simulations
Published: December 13, 2022
Last updated: July 16, 2026
: Reviewed by our climate scientists How we review

Standards alignment · MS-PS1-2. + 48 more

Core

Core Standards legacy

MS-PS1-2.MS-PS1-2. Analyze and interpret data on the properties of substances before and after the substances interact to determine if a chemical reaction has occurred.
HS-PS1-2.HS-PS1-2. Construct and revise an explanation for the outcome of a simple chemical reaction based on the outermost electron states of atoms, trends in the periodic table, and knowledge of the patterns of chemical properties.
HS-PS1-3.HS-PS1-3. Plan and conduct an investigation to gather evidence to compare the structure of substances at the bulk scale to infer the strength of electrical forces between particles.
CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.HSF.BF.B.5CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.HSF.BF.B.5 Understand the inverse relationship between exponents and logarithms and use this relationship to solve problems involving logarithms and exponents.
CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.8.EE.A.4CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.8.EE.A.4 Perform operations with numbers expressed in scientific notation, including problems where both decimal and scientific notation are used. Use scientific notation and choose units of appropriate size for measurements of very large or very small quantities (e.g., use millimeters per year for seafloor spreading). Interpret scientific notation that has been generated by technology.

New Jersey Climate Education Hub

New Jersey Climate Education Hub Standards legacy

8.EE.A.48.EE.A.4 Perform operations with numbers expressed in scientific notation, including problems where both decimal and scientific notation are used. Use scientific notation and choose units of appropriate size for measurements of very large or very small quantities (e.g., use millimeters per year for seafloor spreading). Interpret scientific notation that has been generated by technology.
HSF.BF.B.5HSF.BF.B.5 Understand the inverse relationship between exponents and logarithms to solve problems involving exponents and logarithms.
MS-PS1-2.MS-PS1-2. Analyze and interpret data on the properties of substances before and after the substances interact to determine if a chemical reaction has occurred.
HS-PS1-2.HS-PS1-2. Construct and revise an explanation for the outcome of a simple chemical reaction based on the outermost electron states of atoms, trends in the periodic table, and knowledge of the patterns of chemical properties.
HS-PS1-3.HS-PS1-3. Plan and conduct an investigation to gather evidence to compare the structure of substances at the bulk scale to infer the strength of electrical forces between particles.

Oregon Climate Education Hub

Oregon Climate Education Hub Standards legacy

8.AEE.A.48.AEE.A.4 Perform operations with numbers expressed in scientific notation.
7.PS1.27.PS1.2 Analyze and interpret data on the properties of substances before and after the substances interact to determine if a chemical reaction has occurred.
HS.PS1.2HS.PS1.2 Construct and revise an explanation for the outcome of a simple chemical reaction based on the outermost electron states of atoms, trends in the periodic table, and knowledge of the patterns of chemical properties.
HS.PS1.3HS.PS1.3 Plan and conduct an investigation to gather evidence to compare the structure of substances at the bulk scale to infer the strength of electrical forces between particles.

Wisconsin Climate Education Hub

Wisconsin Climate Education Hub Standards legacy

MS-PS1-2.MS-PS1-2. Analyze and interpret data on the properties of substances before and after the substances interact to determine if a chemical reaction has occurred.
HS-PS1-2.HS-PS1-2. Construct and revise an explanation for the outcome of a simple chemical reaction based on the outermost electron states of atoms, trends in the periodic table, and knowledge of the patterns of chemical properties.
HS-PS1-3.HS-PS1-3. Plan and conduct an investigation to gather evidence to compare the structure of substances at the bulk scale to infer the strength of electrical forces between particles.
M.8.EE.A.4M.8.EE.A.4 Use technology to interpret and perform operations with numbers expressed in scientific notation. Choose units of appropriate size for measurements of very large or very small quantities (e.g., use millimeters per year for seafloor spreading).
M.F.BF.B.5M.F.BF.B.5 Understand the inverse relationship between exponents and logarithms and use this relationship to solve problems involving logarithms and exponents.

Maine Climate Education Hub

Maine Climate Education Hub Standards legacy

8.EE.A.48.EE.A.4 Perform operations with numbers expressed in scientific notation, including problems where both decimal and scientific notation are used. Use scientific notation and choose units of appropriate size for measurements of very large or very small quantities (e.g., use millimeters per year for seafloor spreading). Interpret scientific notation that has been generated by technology.
(+)(+) HSF.BF.B.5 Understand the inverse relationship between exponents and logarithms and use this relationship to solve problems involving logarithms and exponents.
MS-PS1-2MS-PS1-2 Analyze and interpret data on the properties of substances before and after the substances interact to determine if a chemical reaction has occurred.
HS-PS1-2HS-PS1-2 Construct and revise an explanation for the outcome of a simple chemical reaction based on the outermost electron states of atoms, trends in the periodic table, and knowledge of the patterns of chemical properties.
HS-PS1-3HS-PS1-3 Plan and conduct an investigation to gather evidence to compare the structure of substances at the bulk scale to infer the strength of electrical forces between particles.

New York Climate Education Hub

New York Climate Education Hub Standards legacy

MS-PS1-2.MS-PS1-2. Analyze and interpret data on the properties of substances before and after the substances interact to determine if a chemical reaction has occurred.
HS-PS1-3.HS-PS1-3. Plan and conduct an investigation to gather evidence to compare the structure of substances at the bulk scale to infer the strength of electrical forces between particles.
HS-PS1-2.HS-PS1-2. Construct and revise an explanation for the outcome of a simple chemical reaction based on the outermost electron states of atoms, trends in the periodic table, and knowledge of the patterns of chemical properties.
NY-8.EE.4NY-8.EE.4 Perform multiplication and division with numbers expressed in scientific notation, including problems where both standard decimal form and scientific notation are used. Use scientific notation and choose units of appropriate size for measurements of very large or very small quantities. Interpret scientific notation that has been generated by technology.
AII-F.BF.5aAII-F.BF.5a Understand inverse relationships between exponents and logarithms algebraically and graphically.

Connecticut Climate Education Hub

Connecticut Climate Education Hub Standards legacy

CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.HSF.BF.B.5CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.HSF.BF.B.5 Understand the inverse relationship between exponents and logarithms and use this relationship to solve problems involving logarithms and exponents.
CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.8.EE.A.4CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.8.EE.A.4 Perform operations with numbers expressed in scientific notation, including problems where both decimal and scientific notation are used. Use scientific notation and choose units of appropriate size for measurements of very large or very small quantities (e.g., use millimeters per year for seafloor spreading). Interpret scientific notation that has been generated by technology.
MS-PS1-2.MS-PS1-2. Analyze and interpret data on the properties of substances before and after the substances interact to determine if a chemical reaction has occurred.
HS-PS1-2.HS-PS1-2. Construct and revise an explanation for the outcome of a simple chemical reaction based on the outermost electron states of atoms, trends in the periodic table, and knowledge of the patterns of chemical properties.
HS-PS1-3.HS-PS1-3. Plan and conduct an investigation to gather evidence to compare the structure of substances at the bulk scale to infer the strength of electrical forces between particles.

ECCLPs Climate Education Hub

ECCLPs Climate Education Hub Standards legacy

CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.8.EE.A.4CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.8.EE.A.4 Perform operations with numbers expressed in scientific notation, including problems where both decimal and scientific notation are used. Use scientific notation and choose units of appropriate size for measurements of very large or very small quantities (e.g., use millimeters per year for seafloor spreading). Interpret scientific notation that has been generated by technology.
CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.HSF.BF.B.5CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.HSF.BF.B.5 Understand the inverse relationship between exponents and logarithms and use this relationship to solve problems involving logarithms and exponents.
MS-PS1-2.MS-PS1-2. Analyze and interpret data on the properties of substances before and after the substances interact to determine if a chemical reaction has occurred.
HS-PS1-2.HS-PS1-2. Construct and revise an explanation for the outcome of a simple chemical reaction based on the outermost electron states of atoms, trends in the periodic table, and knowledge of the patterns of chemical properties.
HS-PS1-3.HS-PS1-3. Plan and conduct an investigation to gather evidence to compare the structure of substances at the bulk scale to infer the strength of electrical forces between particles.

Michigan Climate Education Hub

Michigan Climate Education Hub Standards legacy

8.EE.4.8.EE.4. Perform operations with numbers expressed in scientific notation, including problems where both decimal and scientific notation are used. Use scientific notation and choose units of appropriate size for measurements of very large or very small quantities (e.g., use millimeters per year for seafloor spreading). Interpret scientific notation that has been generated by technology.
F.BF.5.F.BF.5. (+) Understand the inverse relationship between exponents and logarithms and use this relationship to solve problems involving logarithms and exponents.
MS-PS1-2MS-PS1-2 Analyze and interpret data on the properties of substances before and after the substances interact to determine if a chemical reaction has occurred.
HS-PS1-3HS-PS1-3 Plan and conduct an investigation to gather evidence to compare the structure of substances at the bulk scale to infer the strength of electrical forces between particles.
HS-PS1-2HS-PS1-2 Construct and revise an explanation for the outcome of a simple chemical reaction based on the outermost electron states of atoms, trends in the periodic table, and knowledge of the patterns of chemical properties.

Illinois Climate Education

Illinois Climate Education Standards legacy

8.EE.4.8.EE.4. Perform operations with numbers expressed in scientific notation, including problems where both decimal and scientific notation are used. Use scientific notation and choose units of appropriate size for measurements of very large or very small quantities (e.g., use millimeters per year for seafloor spreading). Interpret scientific notation that has been generated by technology.
F-BF.5.F-BF.5. (+) Understand the inverse relationship between exponents and logarithms and use this relationship to solve problems involving logarithms and exponents.
MS-PS1-2.MS-PS1-2. Analyze and interpret data on the properties of substances before and after the substances interact to determine if a chemical reaction has occurred.
HS-PS1-2.HS-PS1-2. Construct and revise an explanation for the outcome of a simple chemical reaction based on the outermost electron states of atoms, trends in the periodic table, and knowledge of the patterns of chemical properties.
HS-PS1-3.HS-PS1-3. Plan and conduct an investigation to gather evidence to compare the structure of substances at the bulk scale to infer the strength of electrical forces between particles.

Cookie Preferences

What it is

Teaching tips

From the scientist review

Ready to use it?

Want this to fit your class?

Related Teaching Resources