Scientists use pH to describe how acidic or basic a substance is. pH is really a measure of the relative amount of free hydrogen (H+) in solution. In water at 25°C, the concentration of H+ = 1 X 10-7 moles/liter and the pH is 7. On the pH scale, a pH of 7 is neutral. The scale ranges from 0 – 14: a pH less than 7 indicates an acid and a pH greater than 7 indicates a base. Each number represents a 10-fold change in ion concentration: a substance with a pH of five (H+ = 10-5) is ten times more acidic than a substance having a pH of six (H+ = 10 -6).

Most freshwater lakes, streams, and ponds have a natural pH in the range of 6 to 8. Acid deposition has many harmful ecological effects when the pH of most aquatic systems falls below 6 and especially below 5.
Here are some effects of increased acidity on aquatic systems:
- As the pH approaches 5, non-desirable species of plankton and mosses may begin to invade, and populations of fish such as smallmouth bass disappear.
- Below a pH of 5, fish populations begin to disappear, the bottom is covered with undecayed material, and mosses may dominate nearshore areas.
- Below a pH of 4.5, the water is essentially devoid of fish.
- Aluminum ions (Al3+) attached to minerals in nearby soil can be released into lakes, where they can kill many kinds of fish by stimulating excessive mucus formation. This asphyxiates the fish by clogging their gills. It can also cause chronic stress that may not kill individual fish, but leads to lower body weight and smaller size and makes fish less able to compete for food and habitat.
When the pH of freshwater becomes highly alkaline (>9), the effects on fish may include death, damage to outer surfaces like gills, eyes, and skin and an inability to dispose of metabolic wastes.
Consider the map of the United States. Compare the aquatic species mortality on the east and west coasts.

A) The mortality rate on the coasts is equal.
B) Aquatic species are dying on the east coast.
C) Although more species die on the east coast the pH is detrimental to life on both coasts.
D) There are a greater number of species dying out on the west coast than on the east coast.

Scientists use pH to describe how acidic or basic a substance is. pH is really a measure of the relative amount of free hydrogen (H+) in solution. In water at 25°C, the concentration of H+ = 1 X 10-7 moles/liter and the pH is 7. On the pH scale, a pH of 7 is neutral. The scale ranges from 0 – 14: a pH less than 7 indicates an acid and a pH greater than 7 indicates a base. Each number represents a 10-fold change in ion concentration: a substance with a pH of five (H+ = 10-5) is ten times more acidic than a substance having a pH of six (H+ = 10 -6).

Most freshwater lakes, streams, and ponds have a natural pH in the range of 6 to 8. Acid deposition has many harmful ecological effects when the pH of most aquatic systems falls below 6 and especially below 5.
Here are some effects of increased acidity on aquatic systems:
- As the pH approaches 5, non-desirable species of plankton and mosses may begin to invade, and populations of fish such as smallmouth bass disappear.
- Below a pH of 5, fish populations begin to disappear, the bottom is covered with undecayed material, and mosses may dominate nearshore areas.
- Below a pH of 4.5, the water is essentially devoid of fish.
- Aluminum ions (Al3+) attached to minerals in nearby soil can be released into lakes, where they can kill many kinds of fish by stimulating excessive mucus formation. This asphyxiates the fish by clogging their gills. It can also cause chronic stress that may not kill individual fish, but leads to lower body weight and smaller size and makes fish less able to compete for food and habitat.
When the pH of freshwater becomes highly alkaline (>9), the effects on fish may include death, damage to outer surfaces like gills, eyes, and skin and an inability to dispose of metabolic wastes.
Consider the map of the United States. Compare the aquatic species mortality on the east and west coasts.

A) The mortality rate on the coasts is equal.
B) Aquatic species are dying on the east coast.
C) Although more species die on the east coast the pH is detrimental to life on both coasts.
D) There are a greater number of species dying out on the west coast than on the east coast.