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Acid-Base Indicators in Chemistry

The document discusses acid-base indicators and how they change color depending on the pH of a solution. Common indicators discussed include litmus, methyl red, and bromothymol blue. The document also provides examples of using multiple indicators to determine the pH range of unknown solutions.

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Jenny Yoon
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34 views3 pages

Acid-Base Indicators in Chemistry

The document discusses acid-base indicators and how they change color depending on the pH of a solution. Common indicators discussed include litmus, methyl red, and bromothymol blue. The document also provides examples of using multiple indicators to determine the pH range of unknown solutions.

Uploaded by

Jenny Yoon
Copyright
© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

Chemistry 20 – Acid-Base Indicators

 Substances that change colour when the acidity of the solution changes are known as
_________________________________________
 A very common indicator used is ___________________, which is obtained from lichen
 Litmus paper is prepared by soaking absorbent paper with litmus solution and then drying it
 Acid-base indicators are unique chemicals because they can exist in two forms, each with a distinctly
different colour
o The form of the chemical depends on the acidity of the solution
 They usually have very complicated formulas, so simple abbreviations are used:
o Lt - _________________
o Bb - __________________
o In - ______________________
 The two forms of any indicator depend on whether a particular hydrogen atom is present in the
indicator’s molecule
o In general, the lower pH form is designated __________
o In general, the higher pH form is designated ___________
 Other acid-base indicators
o Because the chemical structure of each indicator is different, the pH at which the indicator
changes from the HIn(aq) form to the In-(aq) form is different for each indicator

Common Name Colour of HIn(aq) pH range of colour Colour of In-(aq)


change
Bromothymol blue

Phenolphthalein

 A Close Look at Litmus Paper


o The colour changes of litmus are a little more complicated than what you have learned
previously
o There is a “fuzzy” region around the neutral point (pH = 7) where the colour is not easily
distinguished
o Between 6.0 and 8.0, litmus is in the process of changing colour and your will see mixtures of
red and blue
 These intermediate colours are general not useful, with the exception of bromothymol
blue, where the green is a distinct colour in the middle of the range
 Acid-Base Indicators have two primary uses:
1. Indicators are commonly used to mark the end of a _____________________ (more on this
later)
2. Indicators are used to estimate the pH of a solution by using a number of different indicators
o In this method, acid-base indicators are used to replace the more expensive pH, although
indicators are not as accurate

Solutio After addition to samples of pH range implied by each pH of solution


n the solution … indicator
Methyl red was red
A
Thymol blue turned yellow
Methyl orange turned red

Practice – “Lab” Exercise


 Complete the Analysis Portion of the Lab Below
Solution After addition to samples of the pH range implied by pH of solution
solution… each indicator
Methyl violet was blue
A Methyl orange was yellow
Methyl red was red
Phenolphthalein was colourless
Indigo carmine was blue
B Phenol red was yellow
Bromocresol green was blue
Methyl red was yellow
Phenolphthalein was colourless
C Thymol blue was yellow
Bromocresol green was yellow
Methyl orange was orange

Indicators Practice Questions


Use your table of indicators to answer the following questions:

1. Fill in the spaces in the following table:


pH colour of colour of colour of colour of
orange IV bromocresol bromothymol phenol red
green blue
1.0
4.2
5.8
9.0

2. Use the results displayed below to determine the pH ranges of the solutions.
Solution colour of colour of colour of pH
bromocresol bromothymol phenolphthalein
green blue
A Yellow Yellow Colorless
B blue blue Pink
C blue blue colorless
D green yellow colorless

3. What indicator could you use to distinguish between two solutions, one that has a pH of 8 and one that has a pH
of 11?

4. Using three indicators, design a procedure that would be able to identify four solutions that have pHs of 3, 6, 8,
and 11, respectively.
5. What colour would bromocresol green be in an acid solution made by dissolving 4.3 g of pure hydrochloric acid
in 20 L of water?

Common questions

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Bromocresol green changes color from yellow in acidic solutions to blue in alkaline solutions, spanning a transition around pH 4 to 5. This makes it useful for identifying solutions as acidic or basic and suitable for pH determination across its range .

Using multiple indicators instead of a single one provides a broader and more nuanced picture of the pH range, as each indicator covers different pH ranges and has specific color transitions. This approach helps confirm results and improves accuracy by cross-verifying the pH estimation .

Acid-base indicators provide a cost-effective alternative to pH meters for estimating the pH of a solution. However, they are less accurate than electronic pH meters, as they rely on color changes, which can be subjective and imprecise, especially where the color change range is broad or undefined .

Phenolphthalein is not suitable for mixtures with neutral pH values because it does not exhibit color change until above pH 8.2. It remains colorless at neutral and slightly basic pH levels, thus providing no effective visual transition for such conditions .

To identify pH 3, 6, 8, and 11, use bromocresol green, phenol red, and phenolphthalein: - At pH 3, bromocresol green will show yellow. - At pH 6, bromocresol green transitions to blue/green, and phenol red shows yellow. - At pH 8, phenol red turns red. - At pH 11, phenolphthalein changes from colorless to pink .

Litmus paper exhibits a 'fuzzy' color change region around the neutral point (pH = 7), where colors are not easily distinguishable. This region spans pH values from 6.0 to 8.0 and results in mixtures of red and blue. This contrasts with other indicators, such as bromothymol blue, which have distinct colors at the midpoint .

Acid-base indicators function by existing in two distinct forms, each with a different color, based on the acidity of the solution. The chemical structure of these indicators determines the specific pH range over which they change color, as each structure influences the pKa value at which the indicator transitions between forms .

Dissolving 4.3 g of hydrochloric acid in 20 L of water results in a highly acidic solution, likely below the pH range of bromocresol green (around pH 4). Hence, bromocresol green would appear yellow, indicating an acidic environment .

The presence or absence of a particular hydrogen atom in an indicator molecule influences which molecular form predominates, thus determining the color exhibited by the solution. Indicators exist in an HIn (acid form) and In- (base form) based on the solution's pH; the protonated or deprotonated state specifies the color displayed .

Phenolphthalein would be most suitable for distinguishing between a solution of pH 8 and pH 11. This indicator transitions from colorless to pink around a pH of 8.2 to 10.0, allowing it to show distinct color changes in this range, making it effective for distinguishing between these two pH values .

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