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Project Summary

Difficulty	4  –  6
Time required	Short (several days)
Prerequisites	None
Material Availability	Readily available
Cost	Very Low (under $20)
Safety	Adult supervision required. Do not mix strong acids and bases.

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Sponsor

Sponsored by a generous grant from the Camille and Henry Dreyfus Foundation

Abstract

Objective

The goal of this project is to make your own pH indicator paper, and use it to measure the acidity and alkanity of various solutions from around your house.

Introduction

In this project you'll learn how to make your own pH paper that you can use to find out if a solution is acidic or basic (alkaline). What does it mean for a solution to be acidic or alkaline?

It all has to do with hydrogen ions (abbreviated with the chemical symbol H⁺). In water (H₂O), a small number of the molecules dissociate (split up). Some of the water molecules lose a hydrogen and become hydroxyl ions (OH⁻). The "lost" hydrogen ions join up with water molecules to form hydronium ions (H₃O⁺). For simplicity, hydronium ions are referred to as hydrogen ions H⁺. In pure water, there are an equal number of hydrogen ions and hydroxyl ions. The solution is neither acidic or basic.

An acid is a substance that donates hydrogen ions. Because of this, when an acid is dissolved in water, the balance between hydrogen ions and hydroxyl ions is shifted. Now there are more hydrogen ions than hydroxyl ions in the solution. This kind of solution is acidic.

A base is a substance that accepts hydrogen ions. When a base is dissolved in water, the balance between hydrogen ions and hydroxyl ions shifts the opposite way. Because the base "soaks up" hydrogen ions, the result is a solution with more hydroxyl ions than hydrogen ions. This kind of solution is alkaline.

Acidity and alkalinity are measured with a logarithmic scale called pH. Here's why: A strongly acidic solution can have one hundred million million (100,000,000,000,000) times more hydrogen ions than a strongly basic solution! The flip side, of course, is that a strongly basic solution can have 100,000,000,000,000 times more hydroxide ions than a strongly acidic solution. Moreover, the hydrogen ion and hydroxide ion concentrations in everyday solutions can vary over that entire range. In order to deal with these large numbers more easily, scientists use a logarithmic scale, the pH scale. Each one-unit change in the pH scale corresponds to a ten-fold change in hydrogen ion concentration. The pH scale ranges from 0 to 14. It's a lot easier to use a logarithmic scale instead of always having to write down all those zeros! By the way, notice how one hundred million million is a one with fourteen zeros after it? It's not coincidence, it's logarithms!

To be more precise, pH is the negative logarithm of the hydrogen ion concentration:

In this project you will make your own pH paper from a colored indicator that you will extract from red cabbage by cooking it in water. Once you have the indicator solution, you can soak some coffee filter paper in it, then allow the paper to dry. When the paper is dry, you can cut it into strips, and you'll have pH paper that will change color. It will turn greenish when exposed to bases, and reddish when exposed to acids. How green or how red? That's your job! Use different solutions that you have around the house to find out how the color change corresponds to changes in pH.

Terms, Concepts and Questions to Start Background Research

To do this project, you should do research that enables you to understand the following terms and concepts:

• Acids
• Bases
• Logarithms
• pH
• pH indicators

Questions

• What value of pH is neutral?
• What range of pH values is acidic?
• What range of pH values is basic?
• What color is red cabbage pH paper when dipped in acidic solutions?
• What color is red cabbage pH paper when dipped in basic solutions?

Bibliography

• Here is two good websites about acids and bases, including information about indicators:
  
  • Carboni, G., 2004. "Experiments with Acids and Bases," Fun Science Gallery [accessed July 12, 2007] http://www.funsci.com/fun3_en/acids/acids.htm.
  • Bogren, S. et al., n.d. "Acids, Bases and pH Scale," Urbana Middle School Teachers, Urbana, IL [accessed July 12, 2007] http://lrs.ed.uiuc.edu/students/erlinger/water/background/ph.html.
• This webpage has instructions for making several different colored pH indicators, including beet juice, phenolphthalein (from laxative tablets), red cabbage, and turmeric:
  Beckham, R., date unknown. "pH Indicators and Tests for Acids and Bases," Learn NC, School of Education, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill [accessed July 12, 2007] http://www.learnnc.org/lessons/RichardBeckham5232002901.
• This webpage has a video on making turmeric pH paper:
  Krampf, R., 2006. "Science Experiment #16: Making Turmeric Paper," Robert Krampf Science Education Co. [accessed July 12, 2007] http://www.krampf.com/experiments/Science_Experiment16.html.
• These webpages have a quick review of exponents and logarithms:
  
  • U of MN, 2004a. "What Is an Exponent?" Math Review: Useful Math for Everyone, University of Minnesota, School of Public Health [accessed July 12, 2007] http://www.mclph.umn.edu/mathrefresh/exponents.html.
  • U of MN, 2004b. "What Is a Logarithm?" Math Review: Useful Math for Everyone, University of Minnesota, School of Public Health [accessed July 12, 2007] http://www.mclph.umn.edu/mathrefresh/logs.html.
• For more information about the pH scale, try these references:
  • Environment Canada, 2002. "Kids' Corner pH Scale," The Green Lane: Acid Rain, Environment Canada website [accessed July 12, 2006] http://www.ec.gc.ca/acidrain/kids.html.
  • Decelles, P., 2002. "The pH Scale," Virtually Biology Course, Basic Chemistry Concepts, Johnson County Community College [accessed July 12, 2006] http://staff.jccc.net/pdecell/chemistry/phscale.html.

Materials and Equipment

To do this experiment you will need the following materials and equipment:

• Red cabbage leaves
• 1-quart cooking pot
• Water
• 1-quart bowl
• Strainer
• White coffee filters (cone-shaped ones are good)
  • Alternatively, you can use filter paper or chromatography paper.
• Acidic and basic solutions to test, for example:
  • Lemon juice, vinegar
  • Orange juice, soda
  • Tomato juice, acid rain
  • Black coffee, bananas
  • Milk, saliva
  • Pure water
  • Sea water, eggs
  • Baking soda solution
  • Milk of magnesia
  • Ammonia solution
  • Soapy water

Experimental Procedure

1. Do your background research so that you are knowledgeable about the terms, concepts, and questions, above.
2. Prepare a red cabbage indicator solution (the "Experiments with Acids and Bases" webpage (Carboni, 2004) has great pictures illustrating all of the steps)
   1. Slice a head of cabbage at approximately 3 cm (1 in) intervals, or peel the leaves from the head and tear them into pieces.
   2. Place the leaves in the cooking pot and cover with water.
   3. Cook on medium heat for half an hour (low boil is good).
   4. Allow the cooked cabbage to cool, then pour off the liquid into a bowl. You can pour through a strainer to catch the cabbage pieces, or hold them back with a large, flat ladle with holes—see the photographs on the "Experiments with Acids and Bases" webpage (Carboni, 2004).
   5. The solution is a deep blue, but will change color when the pH changes. (You can experiment with using the liquid as a pH indicator.)
3. Here's how to make pH paper using the red cabbage solution and coffee filters:
   1. Soak the white coffee filters in the red cabbage solution for about 30 minutes.
   2. Drain the excess solution from the filters, and set them out in a single layer on some paper towels to dry overnight. To speed up the drying process, you can put them on a cookie sheet and put them in your oven at low temperature (150–200°F.
   3. When the coffee filters are dry, cut them into 3 cm × 8 cm (about 1 in × 3 in) strips.
   4. The strips are now ready to test the pH of various solutions. They start out blue, but will turn green in basic solutions and red in acidic solutions.
4. Use the strips to test the acidity/alkalinity of various solutions around your house. For example:
   • Lemon juice, vinegar
   • Orange juice, soda
   • Tomato juice, acid rain
   • Black coffee, bananas
   • Milk, saliva
   • Pure water
   • Sea water, eggs
   • Baking soda solution
   • Milk of magnesia
   • Ammonia solution
   • Soapy water
   • Note: if you test the pH of saliva, do not put the pH paper in your mouth! Instead, spit some saliva into a clean container and dip the paper into the saliva.
5. After testing, put the pH strips in order of increasing pH of the solution tested.
   1. You can use the table in the Introduction as a guide.
   2. The Variations section has some additional suggestions for independent confirmations of the pH readings.
6. Do you see a gradual change in color as the pH of the tested solutions varies? Can you match specific colors to certain pH levels? Over what range of pH does the color continue to change? How accurately do you think you can determine the pH of a solution with your test papers? Within 1, 2, or 3 pH units?

Variations

• Compare the performance of your homemade pH paper with commercial pH paper (can be found in a well-stocked tropical fish store). Or, buy an inexpensive pH meter and use it to calibrate your homemade pH paper. Use the table in the Introduction to make a series of different solutions, form low to high pH. Measure the pH of each solution with the pH meter (rinse off the tip between solutions), and write down the results. Now check each solution with your pH paper. Can you see color differences that correspond to the measured changes in pH? Over what pH range do you see color changes? How large does the shift in pH need to be in order to see a change in color?
• Try making pH indicator solutions (and/or indicator papers) from other natural dyes: for example beet juice, phenolphthalein, or turmeric powder (Beckham, date unknown; Krampf, 2006). Test your household solutions with each of the indicators. Does the additional information from multiple indicators give you a better measure of the pH of your solutions?
• Does the pH of your saliva change after eating various types of food? If so, how much time does it take to return to normal? Design an experiment to find out. Again, do not put the pH paper in your mouth. Instead, spit some saliva into a clean container and dip the pH paper into the saliva. Also, don't try changing the pH of your saliva with anything non-edible!
• What is the pH of rainwater in your area? Can you measure it with your pH paper or pH indicator solutions?
• For a simpler experiment that uses a pH indicator solution instead of pH paper, see the Science Buddies project Cabbage Chemistry.

• For more science project ideas in this area of science, see Chemistry Project Ideas.

Credits

Andrew Olson, Ph.D., Science Buddies

Last edit date: 2007-10-05 11:30:00

Career Focus

If you like this project, you might enjoy exploring careers in Chemistry.

	Chemist Everything in the environment, whether naturally occurring or of human design, is composed of chemicals. Chemists search for and use new knowledge about chemicals to develop new processes or products.			Chemical Engineer Chemical engineers solve the problems that affect our everyday lives by applying the principles of chemistry. If you enjoy working in a chemistry laboratory and are interested in developing useful products for people, then a career as a chemical engineer might be in your future.
	Chemical Technician The role that the chemical technician plays is the backbone of every chemical, semiconductor, and pharmaceutical manufacturing operation. Chemical technicians conduct experiments, record data, and help to implement new processes and procedures in the laboratory. If you enjoy hands-on work, then you might be interested in the career of a chemical technician.

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