define pH and the pH scale

pH stands for "potential of hydrogen" and is a measure of the acidity or basicity of a solution. The pH scale ranges from 0 to 14, with 0 being the most acidic, 7 being neutral, and 14 being the most basic. A change of 1 pH unit represents a ten-fold change in acidity or basicity. The pH of a solution is determined by the concentration of hydrogen ions (H+) and hydroxide ions (OH-) present in the solution. A low pH indicates the presence of more H+ ions and a high pH indicates the presence of more OH- ions.