Terms of Use for pHinder

1. Acceptance of Terms

By downloading or using pHinder, you agree to these Terms of Use. If you do not agree, please do not use the App. If you are under 13, you should use the App with the knowledge of a parent or guardian.

2. What pHinder is ?

pHinder is an educational iOS app that teaches chemistry, specifically the pH scale, acids, bases, indicators, and logarithmic relationships. The App includes four core areas:

• Basics: Interactive pH scale, a logarithmic (Power of 10) explainer, and a home pH testing guide covering Red Cabbage Indicator, Litmus Paper, Phenolphthalein, Methyl Orange, and a Digital pH Meter.
• Examples: A searchable library of real-world substances (lemon juice, cola, vinegar, bleach, baking soda, and more) with pH values, category (Very Acidic to Very Basic), safety notes, and fun facts.
• Experiment: A virtual beaker lab where you can add acid or base, toggle a buffer, and observe simulated pH changes.
• ChemBot: An on-device AI chemistry tutor powered by Apple's FoundationModels framework (Apple Intelligence).

pHinder is intended for educational use only. It is not a laboratory instrument and does not produce certified scientific measurements.

3. Device Requirements

The App requires iOS/iPadOS 26 or later. ChemBot additionally requires a device with Apple Intelligence enabled. If your device does not support or has not enabled Apple Intelligence, ChemBot will be unavailable, all other parts of the App work normally without it.

4. ChemBot: On-Device AI Tutor

ChemBot is configured as an educational chemistry tutor. It covers topics including the pH scale, acid and base strength (Ka, Kb, pKa), dilution, neutralisation reactions, buffer solutions, the Henderson-Hasselbalch equation, Le Chatelier's principle, and chemical indicators.

Important things to know about ChemBot:

• All processing happens on your device. Your questions and ChemBot's answers are never sent to the developer or any server.
• Conversations are not saved, clearing the chat or restarting the session deletes them entirely.
• ChemBot is an AI and can make mistakes. Do not rely on its responses for examined work, lab reports, or professional purposes without verifying against a teacher or textbook.
• ChemBot is scoped to chemistry education and is not designed to assist with topics outside this domain.

5. Educational Content

pH values shown in the App (for example, Battery Acid ≈ 1.0, Lemon Juice ≈ 2.0, Pure Water = 7.0, Bleach ≈ 12.5) are representative values used for teaching. Real-world pH can vary based on temperature, concentration, and brand.

The home testing guide describes methods suitable for supervised educational experiments with everyday materials. Substances flagged as hazardous in the App (such as Battery Acid, Bleach, and Ammonia) are included for reference only - do not attempt to handle or experiment with these outside a properly supervised laboratory setting.

The virtual Experiment lab is a simplified simulation for illustrating acid-base concepts. It is not analytically precise and should not be used for academic calculations or assessed work.

6. What the App Does Not Do

Consistent with my Privacy Policy:

• pHinder does not collect, store, or transmit any personal information.
• The App makes no network requests and works fully offline.
• There are no third-party analytics, advertising, or tracking tools in the App.
• No account or login is required.

7. Acceptable Use

You agree not to:

• Attempt to manipulate or jailbreak ChemBot into providing content outside its educational chemistry scope.
• Reverse engineer, decompile, or attempt to extract the App's source code.
• Use content from the App to conduct unsupervised experiments involving hazardous substances.
• Present ChemBot's responses as the output of a qualified chemist or use them in any professional or certified context without independent verification.

8. Intellectual Property

All content in pHinder, including the educational text, UI design, onboarding illustrations, virtual experiment, and ChemBot configuration, belongs to Vipul Kumar Singh. You are granted a personal, non-transferable licence to use the App for its intended educational purpose. You may not reproduce or distribute the App's content without written permission.

Apple, SwiftUI, SwiftData, TipKit, and FoundationModels are trademarks of Apple Inc. pHinder is an independent app and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Apple Inc.

9. Disclaimers

pHinder is provided "as is." I do not warrant that ChemBot's responses will always be accurate, that pH values are suitable for professional or regulatory use, or that the App will be error-free at all times.

10. Limitation of Liability

To the extent permitted by law, the developer shall not be liable for any damages arising from reliance on the App's educational content or ChemBot's responses, or from any chemical experiments conducted based on information in the App.

11. Changes to These Terms

If the App is updated in a way that changes how it works or what it offers, these Terms will be updated and the date above will be revised.

12. Contact

For questions about these Terms, contact:

vipulgalgotias@gmail.com