I am constructing a science fair project. I will be researching how acidity affects the ph, nitrate, and ammonia of water. Some environments have basic water, some neutral, and others acidic. How will I test the acidity of water, you may ask? I will fill one test tube with water from a certain environment and add the pH, nitrate, and ammonia chemicals into the water. The water substance turns a certain color. The color of the water determines the acidity.
Historical Background and Expert Information The concept of pH derived from a very intelligent man. In 1909, Soren Sorensen developed the concept of pH. He needed a way to find the acidity of a substance. While holding a PhD from the University of Copenhagen, Sorensen studied the ion concentration of proteins in drinks. As of now we use the color-changing method to determine acidity, but long ago it was not tested that way. When Sorensen started his research he found acidity by seeing how far ions migrated to their opposite charges. Another interesting fact is that the history of nitrate has been lost, but we do know that it was first used in the curing of meat. However, modern scientists know all…show more content… First, PH is the measure of the acidity of a solution on a scale. The scale measures from zero to fourteen. Any solution above seven on the pH scale is considered acidic. Any solution below seven on the pH scale is considered basic. A solution that meets seven on the pH scale is neutral. Second, Nitrate is a chemical mixture that contains nitrogen and oxygen. This chemical compound is so strong that it can be used as a fertilizer. The nitrate of a solution is measured in ppm, or parts per million. Third, ammonia is a combination of nitrogen and hydrogen. It can be deadly and suffocating. For some people it gives off a pungent odor. These chemicals called nitrogen and hydrogen are known as chemical compounds. When combined they create a new