Definition Of Importance Of Ph
The pH is a measure of the acidity or basicity in aqueous solution
More About Importance of pH
- Solutions with a pH less than 7 are said to be acidic and solutions with a pH greater than 7 are basic or alkaline
- Pure water has a pH very close to 7
- The pH scale is traceable to a set of standard solutions whose pH is established by international agreement
- The pH should be between 8 and 10 based on the chlorine concentration. Similarly, an iodine solution is meant to have a pH value of 5 or lower
- The pH of milk is around 6.8 and it is tested for impurities and signs of infection upon collection as well as at point of delivery
- In processes such as sterilization, pH is checked since a lower value helps to speed up the process
- Our body works within the pH range of 7.0 to 7.8. Living organisms can survive only in a narrow range of pH change
- When pH of rain water is less than 5.6, it is called acid rain. When acid rain flows into the rivers, it lowers the pH of the river water. The survival of aquatic life in such rivers becomes difficult
- Plants require a specific pH range for their healthy growth
- To find out the pH required for the healthy growth of a plant, we can collect the soil from various places and check the pH. The optimum pH range for most plants is between 5.5 and 7.0
- Our stomach produces hydrochloric acid. It helps in the digestion of food without harming the stomach
- During indigestion the stomach produces too much acid and this causes pain and irritation. To get rid of this pain, people use bases called antacids. Magnesium hydroxide is used for this purpose
- Tooth decay starts when the pH of the mouth is lower than 5.5. Tooth enamel, made up of calcium phosphate is the hardest substance in the body. It is corroded when the pH in the mouth is below 5.5
- Bacteria present in the mouth produce acids by degradation of sugar and food particles remaining in the mouth after eating
- The best way to prevent this is to clean the mouth after eating food using toothpastes which are generally basic and prevent tooth decay
- Bee-sting leaves an acid which causes pain and irritation. Mild base such as baking soda neutralizes the effect of bee sting and gives relief to the person
- Nettle is a herbaceous plant which grows in the wild. Its leaves have stinging hair, which cause painful stings when touched accidentally. Stinging hair of nettle leaves inject methanoic acid causing burning pain
- A traditional remedy is rubbing the area with the leaf of the dock plant, which often grows beside the nettle in the wild
