Well, sure, you could, but would you rather write that a substance has a pH value of 11, or the absolute value, which is the hydrogen ion molar concentration, which would be 0.00000000001?
Especially since what we consider the neutral point, is a pH value of 7 (pure water). So then, for an example, if you have 3 substances, they have the values of 0.0000043, 0.00000003, and 0.0000005. are they acidic? Or basic? It’s really difficult to tell at a glance.
And sure, you could have a different measurement like set water as 0 and positive are acids and negative are bases or something, but then you just move further away from the actual definition of acidity.
Well, sure, you could, but would you rather write that a substance has a pH value of 11, or the absolute value, which is the hydrogen ion molar concentration, which would be 0.00000000001?
https://www.fondriest.com/environmental-measurements/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/ph_units.jpg
Especially since what we consider the neutral point, is a pH value of 7 (pure water). So then, for an example, if you have 3 substances, they have the values of 0.0000043, 0.00000003, and 0.0000005. are they acidic? Or basic? It’s really difficult to tell at a glance.
And sure, you could have a different measurement like set water as 0 and positive are acids and negative are bases or something, but then you just move further away from the actual definition of acidity.