What does pH stand for?

What does pH stand for?

• A. Power of Hydrogen
• B. Potential of Hydrogen
• C. Prime of Hydrogen
• D. Physics of Hydrogen

Answer: (A)

pH tells you how acidic or basic a solution is. The name comes from the idea of the hydrogen ion's activity in the solution. In chemistry, pH is defined as the negative logarithm of the hydrogen ion activity: pH = -log a_H+. So lower pH means more hydrogen ions and a stronger acid, while higher pH means fewer hydrogen ions and a basic solution. The neutral point is around pH 7 at room temperature. The term is correctly described as the potential of hydrogen, though you may hear “power of hydrogen” sometimes; the established concept is tied to the hydrogen ion activity, not a simple power.

pH tells you how acidic or basic a solution is. The name comes from the idea of the hydrogen ion's activity in the solution. In chemistry, pH is defined as the negative logarithm of the hydrogen ion activity: pH = -log a_H+. So lower pH means more hydrogen ions and a stronger acid, while higher pH means fewer hydrogen ions and a basic solution. The neutral point is around pH 7 at room temperature. The term is correctly described as the potential of hydrogen, though you may hear “power of hydrogen” sometimes; the established concept is tied to the hydrogen ion activity, not a simple power.