Genuine question: what is the point of logarithmic scales? Why can’t we have a linear scale of 3 to 30 instead of 3 to 4? A linear scale works perfectly fine in most cases (for example the Scoville scale which goes from something like 3 for a green pepper to 20 million for a reaper), so why can’t pH do the same?
Well, sure, you could, but would you rather write that a substance has a pH value of 11, or the absolute value, which is the hydrogen ion molar concentration, which would be 0.00000000001?
Especially since what we consider the neutral point, is a pH value of 7 (pure water). So then, for an example, if you have 3 substances, they have the values of 0.0000043, 0.00000003, and 0.0000005. are they acidic? Or basic? It’s really difficult to tell at a glance.
And sure, you could have a different measurement like set water as 0 and positive are acids and negative are bases or something, but then you just move further away from the actual definition of acidity.
In addition, pH is a logarithmic scale, a pH of 3 is 10x more acidic than pH 4
Holy crap, I never knew that!
Genuine question: what is the point of logarithmic scales? Why can’t we have a linear scale of 3 to 30 instead of 3 to 4? A linear scale works perfectly fine in most cases (for example the Scoville scale which goes from something like 3 for a green pepper to 20 million for a reaper), so why can’t pH do the same?
Well, sure, you could, but would you rather write that a substance has a pH value of 11, or the absolute value, which is the hydrogen ion molar concentration, which would be 0.00000000001?
https://www.fondriest.com/environmental-measurements/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/ph_units.jpg
Especially since what we consider the neutral point, is a pH value of 7 (pure water). So then, for an example, if you have 3 substances, they have the values of 0.0000043, 0.00000003, and 0.0000005. are they acidic? Or basic? It’s really difficult to tell at a glance.
And sure, you could have a different measurement like set water as 0 and positive are acids and negative are bases or something, but then you just move further away from the actual definition of acidity.