How Plaidman failed a test with every right answer.

[Plaidman]

It is 7.32. Sorry. Yep, A&P class.

[Magpie]

I stand corrected. I should have said that you can't have a NEGATIVE pH.

I suppose it's cruel of me to point out that there's 12M solutions...

But they're somewhat theoretical as you can't measure them. The devices aren't able to do so, and paper definitely can't. And frankly, all I care about is knowing that the pH is 2 or lower. Because at that point, I know to keep the eff away from it, and it being stronger makes no difference. I can't see trying to titrate anything that strong.

[poofy_puff]

I suppose it's cruel of me to point out that there's 12M solutions...

Oh that's right, you're a grad student aren't you. I have a few of those around here somewhere.

It would be more cruel of me to point out that there are also 18.1 "molar" solutions. Concentrated sulfuric acid is 18.1M. Conc HCl is 12.0M. Conc nitric is 15.7M. Glacial acetic is 17.5M. That just about covers all the acids that are on my little cheat-sheet. Of course you can take the negative logarithm of ANY number, but I'm only concerned with measuring things on a scale of 1-14, which is the standard pH scale. We could sit here all day and debate the minutiae of "theoretical" vs. "practical".

[Magpie]

Point taken. My high school chem teacher really liked to confuse us with that one. Like I said, all I care about is what sort of PPE do I need, or should I just be walking carefully in the other direction.

[poofy_puff]

When I took A&P, I recall that pH was the topic that gave students the most aggravation. The class was so relieved once we moved past it, which to me seemed kind of silly, since most of the people in the class were trying to become either nurses or phlebotomists.

[Plaidman]

When I took A&P, I recall that pH was the topic that gave students the most aggravation. The class was so relieved once we moved past it, which to me seemed kind of silly, since most of the people in the class were trying to become either nurses or phlebotomists.

Nether of which I am. I'm going for pharmacy.