What Is a pH Meter Used For?

PH is a standard measurement of a solution's acidity or alkalinity. A baseline, neutral pH is 7; anything rated above a 7 is alkaline, and anything below a 7 is acidic. PH can be easily measured using pH testing strips. PH measurement strips are used in a variety of settings, both professional and personal.

Chemical Definition of pH

PH is a symbol representing a logarithmic equation applied to a hydrogen ion's reciprocal gram atom per liter concentration.

History

Though the standard pH scale has been used to measure acidity and alkalinity for a whole century, commercial pH meters were not produced until 1936 (in Denmark). Such pH meters were used in labs but did not become a widely successful product until 2004, with the development of the Beckman pH Meter.

Uses

Today, pH meters are used primarily for home-based testing of tap and pool water. In most cases, tap water in developed nations is safe to drink, but accurate pH readings are necessary to ensure safe living environments for aquatic pets (see Resources).

Digital Meters

Digital pH meters are preferred over disposable test strips because they are more accurate and can be reused.

Disadvantages

Digital meters are much more expensive than single-use test strips. Additionally, meters without rechargeable batteries can rack up additional energy costs over the course of usage.

Resources

• "Chemistry and the Aquarium" by Randy Holmes-Farley, Ph.D.