The pH Scale

The pH scale is probably one of the most simple things you will learn in chemistry. It is basically 

a unit of measurement that distinguishes an acid from a base. The pH is the measure of hydrogen ion concentration in a solution

 How to read the pH scale:

• The scale ranges from 0-14
• Anything with a pH lower than 7 is an acid
• Anything that has a pH higher than 7 is a base
• 7 which is right down the middle is neutral
• The closer to 7 you get on either side makes the solution a weaker acid/base
• The farther away from 7 you get on either side signifies a stronger acid/base
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There are different tests you can do to find the pH of a solution, the most common is the litmus paper test. Litmus paper can be either red or blue. If you have red litmus paper, and it turns blue, the solution is a base. If you have blue litmus paper, it will turn red if it is in an acid.