Flashcards on Understanding Acid-Base Indicators and pH

Understanding Acid-Base Indicators and pH: A Student's Guide

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What is an indicator?

A substance from plants that changes colour when mixed with different types of solutions, showing if they are acidic, alkaline or neutral.

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Acid–Base Indicators

16 cards

Card 1

Question: What is an indicator?

Answer: A substance from plants that changes colour when mixed with different types of solutions, showing if they are acidic, alkaline or neutral.

Card 2

Question: Name two plants or natural sources that can be used as indicators.

Answer: Red cabbage and lichen (used to make litmus).

Card 3

Question: What colour does litmus turn in acidic solutions?

Answer: Red.

Card 4

Question: What colour does litmus turn in alkaline (basic) solutions?

Answer: Blue.

Card 5

Question: What colours can litmus be before testing?

Answer: Red, blue, or sometimes purple.

Card 6

Question: How can red cabbage juice behave as an indicator when mixed with different substances?

Answer: It can be red in acid (e.g., vinegar), blue with soap (alkali), and yellow-green with strong alkali (e.g., drain cleaner).

Card 7

Question: What does it mean if an indicator does not change colour when added to a solution?

Answer: The solution is neutral (neither acidic nor alkaline).

Card 8

Question: Give three examples of neutral solutions from the content.

Answer: Pure water, salt solution, and sugar solution.

Card 9

Question: What does methyl orange do in acids and alkalis?

Answer: It turns red in acids and yellow in alkalis.

Card 10

Question: Would methyl orange change colour if pure water is added? Explain briefly.

Answer: No — pure water is neutral, so it does not change the colour of indicators.