Acids and Bases

ACIDS AND BASES
INDICATOR
a substance, as litmus, that indicates the presence or concentrationof a certain constituent.
a substance often used in a titration to indicate the point at whichthe reaction is complete.
• Litmus paper is either red or blue. The blue paper
changes color to red, indicating acidity somewhere
between the pH range of 4.5 to 8.3 (however, note
8.3 is alkaline).
• Red litmus paper can indicate alkalinity with a

color change to blue. In general, litmus paper is
red below pH of 4.5 and blue above a pH of 8.3.
• If the paper turns purple, this indicates the pH is

near neutral. Red paper that does not change color
indicates the sample is an acid. Blue paper that
does not change color indicates the sample is a
base.
Part B. Determining the
Activity 1 How can you tell if a mixture is acidic or acidity or basicity of some
basic?
common household items
Part A. Preparation of Indicator*
In this part of Activity 1, you will prepare a plant indicator that
In this part of the activity, you will find
you will use to determine if a given sample is acidic or a basic.
out if a given household material is
acidic or basic using the plant indicator
In this activity, you will: you have prepared in Part A.
1. Prepare a plant indicator from any of the following plants:
violet eggplant peel, purple camote peel, red mayana leaves or Science LM pp. 46-48
violet Baston ni San Jose; and
2. Find out if a given sample is acidic or basic using the plant

indicator.
Science LM pp. 44-46

Activity 2 Color range, pH scale!
Science LM p. 51
Importance of pH
pH and the Human Body
Acids and bases perform specific
functions to balance the pH levels in
the body. When your body has too
much carbon dioxide, the blood
becomes too acidic. You breathe
slowly. Breathing is slowed to increase
the pH in the blood. If pH in the body
is too basic, you will hyperventilate to
lower the pH. This acid and base
control is an important part of
biological homeostasis (balance) in
humans. In fact, human life is
sustained only if the pH of our blood
and body tissues is within a small
range near 7.4.
Use of pH in Food Processing and Fruit Preservation
During food processing, pH is closely followed. Changes in pH affect the growth of
microorganisms, which cause food spoilage. Most bacteria grow best at or near pH 7. To
prevent the growth of harmful bacteria, pickling is an effective food preservation method
because it lowers pH.
The main reason to test the pH of a product during manufacture is to determine what
kind of processing the food needs. Foods with a pH above 4.6 are designated "low acid"
foods and need much more severe heat treatment in order to make them shelf stable.
An example of a "low acid" food would be canned tuna. High acid products examples are
canned fruit or tomatoes. Food processing is extremely important. If this is not done
correctly, it could cause problems with digestion. It could even cause food poisoning
The control of pH is also needed in wine and jam preparation. A few species of bacteria
grow in a basic medium of pH 9-10. This is the pH range of stale eggs. Most molds grow
within the pH range of 2- 8.5. In acidic conditions, many fruits and products made from
fruits are easily attacked by molds unless the fruits are properly protected.
Control of pH in Soil
The pH of soil is very important. Some plants grow well
in acidic soil while others prefer basic soil. Farmers need to
know the pH of their soil since plants will only grow in a
narrow pH range. The pH also affects how much nutrients
from the soil become available to plants. pH is a scale that
chemists use to measure acidity.
The following useful plants in the Philippines grow in
acidic soils: banana, kaimito, durian, pineapple, soybean,
coffee, eggplant, squash, kamote, and rice. Other plants like
grapes and pechay require basic soils. Some plants grow
best in almost neutral soil like orange, peanut, watermelon,
beans, cabbage, tomato, corn garlic, and onion.
pH of Rainwater
The average pH of rain is 5.6. This
slightly acidic pH is due to the presence of
carbon dioxide in the air. In many areas of
the world, rainwater is much more acidic,
sometimes reaching pH 3 or even lower.
Rain with a pH below 5.6 is called “acid
rain.” The acidic pollutants in the air that
come from the burning of fuels used in
power plants, factories, and vehicles
produce gases which are acidic. These gases
enter the atmosphere and dissolve in water
vapor in the air. Some acid rain is due to
natural pollutants like those from volcanic
eruptions and lightning.
It can react with certain substances, such
as marble (CaCO3 or NaCO3), and leave
marks as it slightly dissolves.Also, to grow
certain crops, Some other plants though,
Maintaining pH of Personal Care Products
Most personal care products have pH kept The skin and other body parts are very
at specific levels to avoid harmful effects on sensitive to pH. The wrong pH can result in
the body. This is true for hair products. For rashes and skin burns. It is important to know
example, at pH 12, hair already dissolves, that the pH of any substance because it tells you
is why hair removers usually have pH of 11.5 how acidic or basic a substance is. The scale
to12. Most shampoos are within the pH range reading of 7 is at it's neutral state meaning
of 4 to 6. This is because the pH of the product there is an equal number of acidic and basic
must be compatible with that of the hair, atoms that generally don't respond to reaction.
which is in the range pH 4 to 5. Hair is least
swollen and is strongest at this pH range. But
very often, using shampoo leaves the hair
basic. So, in order to avoid eye irritation and
stinging, shampoos for infants and children
have a pH similar to that of tears (pH 7.4).
Hair has a protective covering called
sebum. The use of conditioners after using
shampoo puts back this oily coating and
penetrates the hair shaft itself.
Activity 3 What happens to a metal when exposed to an acidic mixture?
Objective
In this activity, you will find out the effect of an acidic mixture, like vinegar, on
iron.
Science LM pp. 54-55

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ACIDS AND BASES

• Red litmus paper can indicate alkalinity with a

• If the paper turns purple, this indicates the pH is

2. Find out if a given sample is acidic or basic using the plant

Science LM pp. 44-46

Science LM pp. 54-55

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