Ask an Expert: pH

xsytycdancex3 · Post by **xsytycdancex3** » Thu Oct 25, 2007 2:39 pm

Help!
I'm trying to figure out how much hydrochloric acid I need to add to 44.25 L of water (of a pH of 7) to make it a pH of 2 and a pH of 5. I also need hel pon figuring out what alkiline substance I can use that in not harmful to change the pH of water to make it basic. I need to know how much of this substance I add to water (pH of 7) to create a pH of 9 and a pH of 12.
HELP! I would appreciate it sooo much!

deleted-71447 · Post by **deleted-71447** » Thu Oct 25, 2007 3:49 pm

Hi,
Before we discuss how to calculate acid mixtures and pH, is this for a science fair project to test "pH effect on turtles"? The need for 44 L of pH 2 water sounds very ominous. Can you please describe your planned methods? I hope you are not planning to immerse turtles in water with a pH of 2.

Please let us know.
Thanks,
Chris

xsytycdancex3 · Post by **xsytycdancex3** » Thu Oct 25, 2007 6:00 pm

We actually don't have to carry out the experiment. We just have to write how we'd set it up. And if I were to carry out the experiment, it's not intended that the turtles be immersed in a pH of 2 but that the majority of the water in the enviornment is a pH of 2 (the envirnemnt has land sections as well). I actually found out how to calculate the volume, I just need to know what alkine I can use to raise the pH and the pH of the substance.

Louise · Post by **Louise** » Fri Oct 26, 2007 7:32 am

xsytycdancex3 wrote:We actually don't have to carry out the experiment. We just have to write how we'd set it up. And if I were to carry out the experiment, it's not intended that the turtles be immersed in a pH of 2 but that the majority of the water in the enviornment is a pH of 2 (the envirnemnt has land sections as well). I actually found out how to calculate the volume, I just need to know what alkine I can use to raise the pH and the pH of the substance.

Your proposed setup is inhumane, and would probably be banned by most science fairs. Even if the turtle has a non acidic or non basic place to go, it would not know the water is dangerous and could get hurt. This isn't really any better than immersing a turtle in acid.

There are very strict guidelines about the use of animals in research, an example can be found here:
https://www.sciencebuddies.org/mentorin ... mals.shtml

Even if this is just an exercise on paper, I think it is better to think about an experiment that is more productive and could actually be performed as an experiment.

Good luck with your report, and I hope you choose a different topic.

Louise