Science Buddies: "Ask an Expert"

Hi,

I recently read that red cabbage is a wonderful pH indicator. Could i do something relating to using this vegetable for fields etc? Can i get a few ideas to improve the main part of the red cabbage project? I need help

Hi Samhitha,

There are many plant fruits and flowers and some fungi that show a color change in acid or alkali and you could work them into a project maybe by exploring a whole bunch of different things to see first whether or not they do show a color change and second, how well the color change mirrors the actual pH.

Pick fruits and vegetables that have a color and try putting them into vinegar [acid] or washing soda [sodium carbonate, alkaline]. If there's an obvious color change then you have a potential indicator.

It would be really cool if you could make your own pH indicator paper. You would have to get some absorbent paper like artist's watercolor paper, cut out lengths about one centimeter wide by 4 centimeters long then soak them in the colored juice from the fruit or vegetable and let them dry. Your own pH paper!

Here's the wiki on pH indicators. It has a list at the end of natural indicators you can use for suggestions: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PH_indicator

Good luck!

Sybee