You've probably heard of acids - corrosive liquids that eat through desks. Well, in order to measure how acidic a substance is scientists use something called the pH Scale. The pH scale ranges from 0-14 but some very strong acids can have pH levels below 0.
The pH scale displays the amount of an atom called hydrogen ions. The greater the concentration of hydrogen ions a substance has, the more acidic.
On the other end of the pH scale are a different type of extreme substance called bases. Bases can cause burns and be corrosive just like acids. The concentration of a base is determined by the number of molecules called hydroxide ions. If a substance is considered very basic it might have a pH of 14.
If the concentration of hydroxide ions and hydrogen ions is equal, a neutral pH of 7 is achieved. Water has a pH of 7 and is neither an acid or a base.
