Acids, bases and chemical change
The T -level course concentrates at this stage on acids and their reactions (with different bases). The content consolidates learning from earlier key stages about the pH scale and develops the idea of hydrogen ions being used in the measurement of pH.
Both modelling this concept, so students can picture what is happening on a submicroscopic level, and then linking to the practical work that shows how these ideas translate in practice is important. It will also be crucial to understand on a proportional level what is happening to the hydrogen ion concentration as we increase the pH by one each time and so a variety of approaches may be needed to look at this in theory and practice as students may struggle with this idea. Although the equation to link hydrogen ions and pH is not explicitly mentioned, it would help to include this as a symbolic representation of that relationship and let you try out different concentrations to predict the pH of a solution they may use in practical work.
Whilst this list provides a source of information and ideas for experimental work, it is important to note that recommendations can date very quickly. Do NOT follow suggestions which conflict with current advice from CLEAPSS, SSERC or other recent safety guides. eLibrary users are responsible for ensuring that any activity, including practical work, which they carry out is consistent with current regulations related to Health and Safety and that they carry an appropriate risk assessment. Further information is provided in our Health and Safety guidance.’
pH Scale *suitable for home teaching*
This simulation will allow for quick demonstration and also 'what if..?' questions to be tested quickly and easily. In its simplest form you can test different substances like hand soap and orange juice to get a decimal place pH for the substances. You can than also try diluting the substance with water to look at the effect on the pH and to examine the common misconception that pH is not affected by concentration. The 'micro' view is probably quite confusing for students at this level, but will allow exploration of the logarithmic nature of the scale if appropriate.
An Eggsperiment on Teeth
An article that details a simple experiment to look at a context of carbonate reactions by using an eggshell to act in a similar way as teeth would when reacting with acid. In a lab, different conditions could be tried to see how they affect the reaction, such as trying a different strength acid.
Acids, alkalis and the pH scale: infographic
This infographic is a good visual summary of the link between where a substance is on the pH scale and its hydrogen ion concentration. A detailed explanation is also included below the resource which could be used as part of a research task on this topic .