What is the pH of household chemicals?
The pH scale is used by chemists to determine the ratio of acids to bases present in a solution. The scale ranges from 0 to 14 and indicates whether the solution is more acidic or more basic. In this experiment you will use an universal indicator to determine the pH of several common household chemicals, including vinegar, baking soda, lemon juice, water, and ammonia. Universal indicators, which change color in the presence of acids and bases over a broad range of the pH scale, exist in nature and are found in a few plants. Red cabbage, grape juice, radish skin, and violet flowers all contain a pigment or coloring that changes in the presence of different chemicals. The red cabbage “juice” used in this experiment is extracted during the boiling process. This solution is…
