Acidity: Modes of characterization and quantification |
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Authors: | Klaus Ruthenberg Hasok Chang |
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Institution: | 1. Department of History and Philosophy of Science, University of Cambridge, Free School Lane, Cambridge CB2 3RH, United Kingdom;2. Faculty of Science & Centre for Science and Culture, Coburg University of Applied Sciences and Arts, Friedrich-Streib-Str. 2, 96450 Coburg, Germany |
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Abstract: | This paper provides an account of early historical developments in the characterization and quantification of acidity, which may be considered preliminary steps leading to the measurement of acidity. In this “pre-history” of acidity measurement, emphasis is laid on the relative independence of the rich empirical knowledge about acids from theories of acidity. Many attempts were made to compare and assess the strengths of various acids, based on concrete laboratory operations. However, at least until the arrival of the pH measure, the quantification attempts failed to produce anything qualifying as a measurement scale of a recognizable type. It is doubtful whether even pH qualifies as a true measure of acidity, when the full meaning of acidity is taken into account. |
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Keywords: | Acid pH Chemical concepts Quantification Measurement Qualitative knowledge |
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