Mississippi Science CHE.9.5

ScienceGrades 9–12Chemistry

The Standard

CHE.9: Enrichment: Students will understand the nature and properties of acids, bases, and salt solutions.

Enrichment: Use mathematical and computational thinking to calculate pH from the hydrogen-ion concentration.

2026 Mississippi College- and Career-Readiness Standards for Science · Acids and Bases (Enrichment)

Teacher's field guide

What Students Need to Do: Students calculate pH from a hydrogen-ion concentration in moles per liter using a base-10 logarithm. They use pH values to compare how acidic two solutions are.
What Mastery Looks Like: Given 3.2 × 10^-5 mol/L, a student calculates a pH of about 4.49. They can explain why a higher hydrogen-ion concentration gives a lower pH.
Common Misconceptions: Students may drop the minus sign and report a negative pH for an acidic solution. They may also think a one-unit change in pH means a one-unit change in concentration, rather than a tenfold change.
How to Assess It: Exit ticket: A solution has a hydrogen-ion concentration of 1.0 × 10^-4 mol/L. Calculate its pH and explain whether it is more acidic than a solution at 1.0 × 10^-6 mol/L.

Lesson moves

Have pairs match paper cards showing concentrations of 10^-2 through 10^-7 mol/L to pH cards 2 through 7, then check with calculators.
Ask students to write why 10^-3 mol/L has a lower pH than 10^-5 mol/L, using both numbers in their explanation.
Run a calculator relay: teams find pH for 10^-2, 10^-4, and 10^-6 mol/L, then check each other's answers.
Hand out a pool-test slip listing 1.0 × 10^-8 mol/L hydrogen ions; students calculate pH and compare it with the 7.2 to 7.8 target.

Free download

A ready-to-print activity worksheet aligned to CHE.9.5, with an answer key for the teacher on its own page. No account needed.

PDF, US Letter, prints cleanly in black and white.

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