On a scale from 0 to 14, what does a pH of 7 represent?

A pH of 7 represents a neutral solution because it indicates an equal concentration of hydrogen ions (H⁺) and hydroxide ions (OH⁻) in the solution. The pH scale ranges from 0 to 14, with lower values indicating increasing acidity (more H⁺ ions) and higher values indicating increasing alkalinity (more OH⁻ ions).

In pure water, at 25°C, the concentration of H⁺ ions is equal to that of OH⁻ ions, leading to a pH of 7, which is universally accepted as neutral. This means that at this level, the solution is neither acidic nor basic. This concept is fundamental in chemistry, especially in understanding the behavior of acids and bases in various solutions.