Understanding pH

pH (potential of hydrogen) is a logarithmic measurement of the acidity or alkalinity of a substance when it is dissolved in pure water. Alkaline substances are those that have a pH value > 7.0 and are referred to as "bases" or "alkalis"; while acidic substances have a pH value < 7.0 and are referred to as "acids".

As the pH scale is logarithmic, every increment or decrement by 1.0 is ten-times more "powerful" than the previous, and vice versa. For example, a pH of 9.0 is ten-times more alkaline than a pH of 8.0; and a pH of 5.0 is ten-times more acidic than a pH of 6.0.