4: pH Meter
- Page ID
- 347252
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\(\newcommand{\avec}{\mathbf a}\) \(\newcommand{\bvec}{\mathbf b}\) \(\newcommand{\cvec}{\mathbf c}\) \(\newcommand{\dvec}{\mathbf d}\) \(\newcommand{\dtil}{\widetilde{\mathbf d}}\) \(\newcommand{\evec}{\mathbf e}\) \(\newcommand{\fvec}{\mathbf f}\) \(\newcommand{\nvec}{\mathbf n}\) \(\newcommand{\pvec}{\mathbf p}\) \(\newcommand{\qvec}{\mathbf q}\) \(\newcommand{\svec}{\mathbf s}\) \(\newcommand{\tvec}{\mathbf t}\) \(\newcommand{\uvec}{\mathbf u}\) \(\newcommand{\vvec}{\mathbf v}\) \(\newcommand{\wvec}{\mathbf w}\) \(\newcommand{\xvec}{\mathbf x}\) \(\newcommand{\yvec}{\mathbf y}\) \(\newcommand{\zvec}{\mathbf z}\) \(\newcommand{\rvec}{\mathbf r}\) \(\newcommand{\mvec}{\mathbf m}\) \(\newcommand{\zerovec}{\mathbf 0}\) \(\newcommand{\onevec}{\mathbf 1}\) \(\newcommand{\real}{\mathbb R}\) \(\newcommand{\twovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\ctwovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\threevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cthreevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\mattwo}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{rr}#1 \amp #2 \\ #3 \amp #4 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\laspan}[1]{\text{Span}\{#1\}}\) \(\newcommand{\bcal}{\cal B}\) \(\newcommand{\ccal}{\cal C}\) \(\newcommand{\scal}{\cal S}\) \(\newcommand{\wcal}{\cal W}\) \(\newcommand{\ecal}{\cal E}\) \(\newcommand{\coords}[2]{\left\{#1\right\}_{#2}}\) \(\newcommand{\gray}[1]{\color{gray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\lgray}[1]{\color{lightgray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\rank}{\operatorname{rank}}\) \(\newcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\col}{\text{Col}}\) \(\renewcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\nul}{\text{Nul}}\) \(\newcommand{\var}{\text{Var}}\) \(\newcommand{\corr}{\text{corr}}\) \(\newcommand{\len}[1]{\left|#1\right|}\) \(\newcommand{\bbar}{\overline{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bhat}{\widehat{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bperp}{\bvec^\perp}\) \(\newcommand{\xhat}{\widehat{\xvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\vhat}{\widehat{\vvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\uhat}{\widehat{\uvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\what}{\widehat{\wvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\Sighat}{\widehat{\Sigma}}\) \(\newcommand{\lt}{<}\) \(\newcommand{\gt}{>}\) \(\newcommand{\amp}{&}\) \(\definecolor{fillinmathshade}{gray}{0.9}\)Multiple labs this semester will be using a pH meter, which uses a probe to measure the pH of aqueous solutions.
![clipboard_e2ef4a8e5cabda891510d5a036b95a919.png](https://chem.libretexts.org/@api/deki/files/392136/clipboard_e2ef4a8e5cabda891510d5a036b95a919.png?revision=1)
pH Probes
In this experiment we will use a Ph probe, which is an electronic device that measures the pH. These are very common and they should always be checked against standard solutions of known pH and calibrated if they read incorrectly. The pH probe is an electrochemical cell and we will cover these in chapter 19, sections 19.3-19.5 and 19.7. The following YouTube from Oxford Press does an excellent job of describing how a pH probe works. It is imperative that you test your probe in a buffer to be sure it is reading accurately and if it is not, you will need to calibrate it.
Video \(\PageIndex{1}\) 2:30 YouTuve describing the operation of a pH probe developed by Oxford University Press (https://youtu.be/aIn4D2QXUy4).
The pH reading is not accurate until the probe stabilizes, so when you change the pH you need to wait until the reading becomes steady before recording the value.
Vernier Probes
General Instructions for use of a pH meter
The pH probe is stored in an electrolyte and should never be allowed to dry out. You should have DI water in a squeeze bottle that you can rinse the probe tip over a 600 mL beaker and be careful to never touch the probe surface. Between measurements you can fill a keep the probe in a 150 mL Erlenmeyer flask that is half full of water (this is more stable than a beaker). The first thing you should do is test your probe with a small amount of buffer solution solution of known pH and if it reads the buffer pH accurately, you are good to go, and if not, you need to calibrate the pH meter before proceeding.
![clipboard_e52c552575c4954625fb54600befc5e30.png](https://chem.libretexts.org/@api/deki/files/392134/clipboard_e52c552575c4954625fb54600befc5e30.png?revision=1)
Calibration
![clipboard_e1d34a02f59986c8195d7763c4b8494a9.png](https://chem.libretexts.org/@api/deki/files/392135/clipboard_e1d34a02f59986c8195d7763c4b8494a9.png?revision=1)