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This experiment aimed to determine the pH levels of common household substances, categorizing them into acids, bases, or neutral solutions. The substances were selected from various product categories, including cleaning, personal care, and food items. Through the use of red litmus, blue litmus, and pH indicator paper, the pH values of these substances were identified. The results provided insights into the acidic or basic nature of everyday household products.
The pH scale is a valuable tool for characterizing the acidity or basicity of liquid solutions.
It ranges from 0 to 14, with lower values indicating acidity, higher values indicating basicity, and 7 representing neutrality. Household products can fall into different pH categories, making it important to understand their pH levels for safety and usability.
The concept of pH was introduced by Danish chemist Søren Sørensen in 1909 as a measure of hydrogen ion concentration in a solution. Acids are substances that release hydrogen ions (H+) when dissolved in water, resulting in a low pH.
Bases, on the other hand, release hydroxide ions (OH-) when dissolved, leading to a high pH. Neutral solutions have an equal concentration of H+ and OH- ions, resulting in a pH of 7.
Common household acids include citrus juices, vinegar, and some cleaning products. Strong acids can be corrosive and harmful to skin, while weak acids are less hazardous. Bases, such as soaps and detergents, are used for cleaning and are typically slippery. Understanding the pH of household products is crucial for safety and effective use.
The pH scale is used to determine the acidity or basicity level of liquid solutions. Solutions with a pH level of 1-6 are acidic, with 1 being the most acidic and 6 being the least acidic. A pH level of 7 indicates a neutral solution, meaning it is neither acidic nor basic. Solutions with a pH level of 8-14 are basic, with 8 being the least basic and 14 being the most basic. Many common household items can fall into these categories as well, ranging from acidic to basic, or even neutral.
Food items are likely to be weak acids because they are not slippery, can be consumed, and often have a sour taste. Cleaning products are expected to be strong bases because they exhibit a fundamental property of bases – slipperiness. Personal care products are anticipated to be neutral solutions since they are not corrosive like acids and bases that can harm the skin.
| Substance | Product Type | Red Litmus | Blue Litmus | pH Paper | pH Value | Analysis (Acid or Base) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shampoo | Personal Care | Stayed Red | Pink | Stayed Orange | pH 4 | Weak Acid |
| Lemon Juice | Food | Stayed Red | Red | Bright Red | pH 1 | Strong Acid |
| Green Tea | Food | Stayed Red | Stayed Blue | Stayed Orange | pH 7 | Neutral |
| Sprite | Food | Stayed Red | Pink | Stayed Orange | pH 4 | Weak Acid |
| Milk | Food | Light Purple | Stayed Blue | Yellow | pH 7 | Neutral |
| Detergent | Cleaning | Blue | Stayed Blue | Yellow | pH 10 | Base |
| Windex | Cleaning | Blue | Stayed Blue | Light Green | pH 9 | Weak Base |
In this lab, household products were categorized into three classes: cleaning, personal care, and food products. The only personal care product tested was shampoo, which exhibited acidic properties, scoring a pH level of 4. It remained red with red litmus, turned pink with blue litmus, and stayed orange with pH paper.
Among food products, lemon juice was the first to be tested and proved to be a very strong acid with a pH level of 1. It remained red with red litmus, turned red with blue litmus, and became bright red with pH paper. Green tea was found to be neutral, maintaining a pH level of 7. It stayed red with red litmus, remained blue with blue litmus, and stayed orange with pH paper. Sprite, another food product, was a weak acid with a pH level of 4. It remained red with red litmus, turned pink with blue litmus, and stayed orange with pH paper. Lastly, milk was neutral with a pH level of 7. When tested with red litmus, it turned light purple, remained blue with blue litmus, and turned yellow with pH paper.
Within the cleaning product category, detergent was a base with a pH level of 10. It turned red litmus blue, maintained blue litmus, and turned pH paper yellow. Windex, another cleaning product, was a weak base with a pH level of 9. It turned red litmus blue, kept blue litmus blue, and turned pH paper light green.
When red litmus paper was tested on substances from the food category, they mostly remained red, except for milk, which turned light purple. Blue litmus paper yielded varying results; lemon juice turned red (as it is an acid), green tea and milk remained blue (as they are neutral), and Sprite turned pink (as it is a weak acid). When tested with pH paper, lemon juice turned bright red (a strong acid), green tea and Sprite stayed orange, and milk turned yellow (a base).
Among the tested personal care products, shampoo exhibited acidic properties with all three indicators, confirming it as a weak acid.
Cleaning products generally showed consistent results. Both detergent and Windex turned red litmus blue, maintained blue litmus as blue, and exhibited alkaline properties when tested with pH paper, with detergent being a stronger base than Windex.
pH Level Analysis of Household Substances: Lab Report. (2016, Apr 06). Retrieved from https://studymoose.com/document/testing-the-ph-of-common-household-substances-lab
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