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Acids, Bases, pH and Indicators

Question: What are the pHs of different common substances?

Introduction
Liquids all around us have either acidic or basic (alkaline) properties. For example,
acids taste sour; while, bases taste bitter and feel slippery. However, both strong acids
and strong bases can be very dangerous and burn your skin, so it is important to be
very careful when using such chemicals.

The strength of the pH scale is determined by the concentration of hydrogen ions

(H+) where a high concentration of H+ ions indicate a low pH and a high
concentration of H+ ions indicate a high pH. The pH scale ranges from 1 to 14
where 1 to 6 is classified as acidic, 7 neutral (neither a base or an acid) and 8 to 14 is
classified as basic.

In this lab, you will use the juice from red cabbage as a pH indicator to test common
household liquids and determine their pH levels. You will mix cabbage juice with
different household liquids and see a color change produced by a pigment called flavin
(an anthocyanin) in red cabbage. Through this color change, you will be able to
successfully identify the approximate pH of common household liquids using the table
below:

Materials:
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- Blender
- Red Cabbage
- Coffee Filters
- Funnel
- Cups/test tubes
- Plastic spoons
- Clean up bucket
- Fresca, Lemon Juice, Water, Baking soda/ Water solution, Antacid solution,
Vinegar
- Tape to label each cup along with a pen or pencil to write on the label.

Procedure:

1) Miss T. will blender and filter to create a cabbage solution that can be used as an
indicator. Red cabbage leaves (about 3 or 4) will be blended in warm water (800
mL). Then, the solution will be filtered using a funnel, and a coffee filter. The
solution will be placed in a large container (open the windows… this stuff smells,
although it isn’t harmful).
2) Each group will get about 1 cup of red cabbage juice. Please label the cup with
tape.
3) Get a cup and get a small amount of Fresca (about 20 mL) in a clear cup. Please
label the cup with tape.
4) Pipette a small amount of the red cabbage juice into the Fresca.
5) Repeat step 3 and 4 with each solution (lemon juice, water, baking soda/water
solution, vinegar)
6) For the antacid solution, simply place the antacid into some red cabbage juice.
7) Record your observations below.

Observations:
Describe the colour of each of the solutions once mixed with the red cabbage solution.
Please be as descriptive as possible (ie. initially purple, then changed to red after a few
seconds)

Fresca:

Lemon juice
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Baking Soda Solution

Vinegar

Antacid Solution

Please write the liquids tested in order of increasing pH. Lowest pH to highest pH. Use
the scale on the first page.

Using the information on sciencesizzle.weebly.com, please fill out the information

below.

Acids and Bases

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pH Scale
● pH is a measurement of how many ____________________________ are in a solution

● most solutions have a pH ranging from _______________________________

● ___________ form solutions with a pH ________________ and turn litmus __________

● ___________ form solutions with a pH ________________ and turn litmus __________

● ______________ solutions have a pH of ________________ and do _____________ to

litmus paper

● a pH of 0 to 0.5 is a ________________________
ex) battery acid (H2SO4(aq))

● a pH of 14 is a ___________________________
ex) drain cleaner (KOH(aq))

● a pH of 7 is ______________________
ex) distilled (pure) water

Measuring pH
● exact pH can be measured with a __________________________

● can also use acid-base __________________ which are substances that change

_________________ when they are placed in solutions

ex) litmus paper