I get confused as to 'alkalinity' and'acidity'. Water in a green house should be 5.5-.6.5. If the 'pH' is too high, which means what, its too salty or acid? Does everything below the 5.5 mean its less acid or less salty? Then we have soluble salts.I'm so confused.Talk to me like I'm in 4th grade please.
2007-03-07 02:44:24 · 4 answers · asked by La Cicada 4 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Botany
Hey I'm not in 4th, I just need to be taught 'like I'm in 4th grade!" So I'm a bit retarded when it comes to numbers and science. If 7 is pure water, then is 1 the most 'acidic' you can get?
2007-03-07 02:54:59 · update #1
Okay, pH is a measurement of hydrogen ions present in water. It is measured on a scale of 0-14, with seven being neutral. In other words, since pure water (H2O) is neutral, there will be an equal amount of H+ and OH- ions. If it is acidic, there will be more H+; if it was basic (a more proper term than alkaline), there would be more OH-.
The pH scale is logarithmic - from one number to the next is a tenfold increase or decrease. So if the pH was 6, the water would be 10 times more acidic than neutral (pH 7). If the pH is 5, it would be 100 times more acidic (5 to 6 = 10, 6 to 7 = 10, so this is 10x10). A pH of 4 would be 1,000 times more acidic, and so on. A pH of 8 would be 10 times LESS acidic, 9 is 100 times less, and so forth.
The reason that "basic" is better than "alkaline" is that basic refers to all pH above 7.0. Alkalinity is the ability to resist change in pH if an acid is added and this actually goes down to 4.5 (in the range of acid). But alkalinity acts as abuffer to an acid.
The reason I think you are hearing/reading salts into this is that when something is added to change the pH to bring it closer to neutral, a soluble salt is formed. Consider adding hydrochloric acid (HCl), a strong acid to sodium hydroxide (NaOH), a strong base - what you end up with is water (H20) and NaCl - salt! There are also salts of potassium, magnesium, and others that can form depending on what is mixed.
If your greenhouse water has a pH that's too high, it means that it isn't acidic enough - it's above 6.5. Most vegetables prefer water that's slightly acidic. The hydrogen ions (positive charge) will combine with negatively charged ions in the soil and release other positively charged ions (especially calcium and magnesium) which are plant nutrients.
2007-03-07 11:47:59 · answer #1 · answered by copperhead 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
In terms of greenhouse water, adding table salt has nothing to do with pH. There are however certain different chemicals you can buy to raise or lower the pH. Pool people have to do this. Go to a garden store and ask for whatever they sell to lower, or acidify, your water (water is 7, and 5.5-6.5 is slightly acidic). To make the water "alkaline" you would raise the pH above 7. You will want to pick up pH tester strips to check your water. Certain salts, not table salt, will raise or lower pH- so they may be sold labeled as some kind of salt.
Certain substances, called acids, give up a positively charged particle (called a proton or hydronium ion) to substances that will accept it. Bases are substances that accept, or take up, that proton. Water can sometimes be either.
Hope this helps!
2007-03-07 11:06:40 · answer #2 · answered by Brendan R 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Simply put the pH of pure water is 7. All acids have a pH that is lower than 7 and all bases have a pH that is higher than 7.
The higher the pH level the less acidic the chemical is
2007-03-07 10:48:26 · answer #3 · answered by The Kymster<3. 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
pH= Potential of Hydrogen to create an ion
You are in the 4TH GRADE???!!
I am in 12th and we are just learning that!!
They expect from young people too much these days!!
Are you in an AP or a gifted special school or sometin?
2007-03-07 10:47:51 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋