The pH Scale
The pH Scale
Since hydrogen ions are positively charged, they alter the charge environment of the molecules they are bonded to.
These molecules change their shape as a result. This is particularly important for proteins, because their shape is related to their function.
The concentration of hydrogen ions is commonly expressed in terms of the pH scale:
- Low pH equates to high hydrogen ion concentration
- High pH corresponds to low hydrogen ion concentration
- A substance with a high concentration of hydrogen ions and thus low pH is called an acid
- A substance with a low concentration of hydrogen ions and thus high pH is called a base (or alkaline)
- Substances that enable organisms to regulate their pH in the presence of an acid or base are called buffers.