pH Level Lab

STQ: What are the pH levels of different household items/how do they differ?

Hypothesis: I believe that most household items are going to be acids. I believe they differ, because they are different substances entirely.

Materials:

computer household solutions
Vernier Computer Interface 7 small test tubes
Logger Pro test-tube rack
Vernier pH Sensor blue litmas paper
wash bottles paper towel
distilled water stirring rod
sensor soaking solution red cabbage juice
250 mL beaker

Results:

Test Tube Solution Blue Litmas Paper Red Cabbage Juice pH

1 Vinegar 2.5 3.5 Trans. Pink 2.4
2 Ammonia 10 6 Green 11.5
3 Lemon 2 2 Pink 2.21
4 Soda 4 3 Orange 2.43
5 Drain Cleaner 8.5 5 Yellow 13.44
6 Detergent 9.5 6.5 Green 10.17
7 Baking Soda 8.5 7.5 Teal 7.92
8 Skim Milk 7.5 9 Purple 7.31


1.) Which of the household solutions tested are acids? The household solutions that are acids are Vinegar, Lemon Juice, and Soda what proves this is the pH sensor levels. Yes, others like Drain Cleaner and Detergent are below 7 ph level but, this is a guess having to do with the Red Cabbage Juice.

2.) Which of the solutions are bases? How can you tell? The household solutions that are bases are Ammonia, Drain Cleaner, Detergent, and Baking Soda. You can tell this because of the pH levels from the pH sensor, Red Cabbage Juice, and Blue Litmas paper evidence.

3.)What color(s) is red cabbage juice indicator in acids? In bases? The acids’ colors are as follows Vinegar->Translucent Pink, Lemon Juice->Pink, and Soda->Orange. The bases’ colors are as follows Ammonia->Green, Drain Cleaner->Yellow, and Baking Soda->Teal.

4.)Can Red Cabbage Juice be used as an indicator to determine strength in acids/bases? Explain. I do not believe that it can. According to our data it does show that some data it may be slightly accurate, but tests like the ammonia show that it wasn’t nearly as close as it should be. RCJ->6. Actual pH Sensor->11.5. A very big difference if I must say.

5.) List advantages and disadvantages of litmus and red cabbage juice indicators. Advantages->Can give a quick look at an item and show the pH level without looking at any technology. Easy and fast possibly takes maybe 30-60 seconds. Disadvantages->Not nearly as accurate as a pH level sensor. One use if you only have some litmus paper and misuse it, well, you don’t have anymore litmus paper!

Conclusion: Over the past two days we have been recording the pH level of several household substances. For example, Coca-Cola, Skim Milk, Vinegar, are just some of these items. We’ve used pH sensors to test how high or low the pH level actually is, and we also used Red Cabbage juice and blue litmus paper to see this also.. To get this we had 3mL of distilled water poured into a 250 mL beaker and then added 3mL of the Red Cabbage juice then poured it into one of the many substances and then tested the substance by dipping the litmus paper into the substance and then checking the color on a pH color chart. To get a more accurate read we poured the substance into a test tube and ran the pH level sensor and dipped it into the substance.
I see that my hypothesis is true assuming that the question is some sort of question, and not some sort of declarative statement. We had no problems in this lab what-so-ever it was simple, easy, and quick! I see that now if I ever wanted to check the acidity of my pool so that it is safe to swim in I can reassure myself and check whenever with this quick and easy method! I do not see any variables that could be changed to make this lab better.