Yes, pH values can indeed be higher than 14. This is because the pH scale is logarithmic, meaning that each whole number change in pH represents a tenfold change in hydrogen ion concentration. While the typical pH scale ranges from 0 to 14, very concentrated solutions of strong bases can have pH values greater than 14.
For example, a 10M solution of sodium hydroxide (NaOH) would have a pH of approximately 15. This is because the concentration of hydroxide ions ([OH-]) in such a solution would be 10 times higher than in a 1M solution of NaOH, which would have a pH of 14.
It's important to note that the pH scale is defined based on the concentration of hydrogen ions ([H+]) in a solution. For very strong bases, the concentration of hydroxide ions ([OH-]) dominates, leading to pH values exceeding 14.
