pH Scale
Provided by: PhET Interactive Simulations|Published on: December 13, 2022|Last updated: September 26, 2026
Grades: 6-AP
Type: Activity - Classroom
Subjects: Chemistry, Biology, Mathematics
Authors: PhET Interactive Simulations
Location: Earth
This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Learn about our review process →
This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Learn about our review process →
Synopsis
- 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 Materials
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.
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.
Teaching Tips
Standards
Resource Type and Format
Scientist Reviewed
This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Our review process ensures that every resource in our library reflects the current state of climate science.
Learn about our review process →
