What is pH ? Give it's importance in everyday life.
Answers
Answer:
pH plays a very important role in our everyday life. 1. In our digestive system :Hydrochloric acid produced in our stomach helps the digestion of food without causing any harm to the stomach. But when the amount of the acid goes beyond a certain limit due to indigestion, pain and irritation are created in the stomach.
Answer:
pH is a scale used to specify the acidity or basicity of an aqueous solution. Acidic solutions are measured to have lower pH values than basic or alkaline solutions. The pH scale is logarithmic and inversely indicates the concentration of hydrogen ions in the solution.
pH plays a very important role in our everyday life.
1. In our digestive system :Hydrochloric acid produced in our stomach helps the digestion of food without causing any harm to the stomach.
Digestion of food
The pH is important at different levels in the digestive system of the human body for the proper digestion of food. In the stomach, hydrochloric acid is secreted as food enters the stomach. It turns the pH of the stomach between 1 and 3. This pH is important for the activation of the enzyme pepsin, which helps in the digestion of protein in food.
2. Importance in soil
The pH of soil is a critical factor in the growth of crops and other plants. pH 6.5 to 7.3 is ideal for the growth of shrubs and crops. If the pH of soil is less than 6.5, lime is added to it to neutralise its acidity. Similarly, if the pH of soil is more than 7.3, gypsum is added to neutralise its basicity.
3. Stopping tooth decay
Teeth decay when the pH of the mouth falls below 5.5. Bacteria present in food and the mouth breakdown food particles left in the mouth and form acids. This results in lowering the pH of the mouth. Tooth powder and tooth paste which are used for cleaning of teeth are basic in nature. They neutralise the acid produced in the mouth and protect the teeth from decay.
4. Remedy for acidic effect of honeybee bite
When a honeybee bites, it inserts an acidic substance Melittin in our body. To get relief from it, an aqueous solution of a basic substance such as baking soda is applied around the place of bite. It helps to neutralise the acidic poison.