IUBio

pH question!

Dima Klenchin klenchin at REMOVE_TO_REPLY.facstaff.wisc.edu
Wed Jan 5 18:00:09 EST 2000


In article <947095658snz at pdchem.demon.co.uk>, Paul at pdchem.demon.co.uk wrote:
>In article <3861193C.C13E6AD4 at wgn.net> vdrake at wgn.net "Vernon Drake" writes:
>> 
>> Could someone tell me what the letters pH stand for?  Not the definetion
>> or what pH is. I think it means the POWER of HYDROGEN but I am not quite
>> sure.
>> vdrake at wgn.net
>> 
>
>I'm told this very question is answered in Trends in Biochemical
>Sciences, January 2000 issue.  Still waiting for it to appear on
>the web.
>
>-Paul

I can't wait for the journal so I took a quick trip to a dictionary
that has some limited etimology (http://www.m-w.com/cgi-bin/):

        Main Entry: pH
        Pronunciation: 'pE-'Ach
        Function: noun
        Etymology: German, from _Potenz_ power + H 
        Date: 1909

"Power" actually does make sense (as opposed to pons). 

        - Dima




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