Acid Base Indicators
Acids and bases surround us on this water rich Earth. We learned about pH, a way to designate whether something is an acid or a base and its strength, and how to determine its value. One day we explored solutions of chemical compounds that change color based on pH, and how to use these “indicators” to discover the concentrations of unknown solutions via titration.
Certain chemically treated papers change color depending upon the pH of liquids they are exposed to. Many colored compounds found in fruits and vegetables also change color based on pH. We tested paper soaked in juices to see which ones made good indicators. Finally, we put all the techniques we’d learned to use by solving challenging scenarios.