Exploring Substances:

Acidic, Basic, and

Neutral
Welcome to the fascinating world of acids and bases! Join siblings Ashwin and
Keerthi as they explore the colorful world of substances at their school's
National Science Day fair. Their adventure begins with a mysterious white paper
that reveals hidden messages when sprayed with a special liquid.

In this presentation, we'll discover how different substances can be classified as

acidic, basic, or neutral. We'll explore natural indicators like litmus, red rose
extract, and turmeric that help us identify these substances through color
changes. We'll also learn about neutralization reactions and their applications in
our daily lives.

by sandeep swamy
The Mystery of the Appearing Message
The White Paper The Magic Spray The Science Behind
At the science fair entry, Ashwin and A volunteer sprayed a mysterious It
Keerthi received blank white sheets liquid on their papers, causing This fascinating demonstration
of paper, wondering about their hidden words to appear: "Welcome showcased acid-base indicators -
purpose. to the Wonderful World of Science." substances that change color when
they come in contact with acids or
bases.
Nature's Laboratory: Litmus as an
Indicator
What is Litmus? How Litmus Works
Litmus is a natural substance obtained from lichens. It's available Blue litmus paper turns red in acidic solutions
as a solution or as paper strips in two colors - blue and red. Red litmus paper turns blue in basic solutions

Litmus paper serves as an acid-base indicator, changing color Neither changes color in neutral solutions
when it comes in contact with acidic or basic substances.
Testing with Litmus
Paper
Collect Samples
Gather various household substances like lemon juice, soap solution,
vinegar, baking soda solution, tap water, and sugar solution.

Prepare Litmus Paper

Cut blue and red litmus paper into small pieces and arrange them on a
clean white tile.

Test Each Sample

Using a dropper, place one drop of each sample on separate litmus
paper pieces and observe any color changes.

Record Observations
Note which samples turn blue litmus red (acidic), red litmus blue
(basic), or cause no change (neutral).
Classifying
Substances with
Litmus
Acidic Substances Basic Substances
(Group A) (Group B)
Substances that turn blue litmus Substances that turn red litmus
paper red: paper blue:

Lemon juice Soap solution

Amla juice Baking soda solution
Tamarind water Lime water
Vinegar Washing powder solution

Neutral Substances (Group C)

Substances that don't change either litmus paper:

Tap water
Sugar solution
Salt solution
Properties of Acidic
Substances
Sour Taste
Edible acidic substances like lemon juice, tamarind, and amla have a
characteristic sour taste due to the acids they contain.

Common Acids
Different fruits contain specific acids: citric acid in lemons, tartaric acid
in tamarind, and ascorbic acid (Vitamin C) in amla.

Indicator Reaction
Acids turn blue litmus paper red and give red color with natural
indicators like red rose extract.
Properties of Basic Substances

Slippery Feel Bitter Taste

Basic substances like soap and baking Many basic substances taste bitter,
soda solution feel slippery or soapy though not everything bitter contains a
when rubbed between fingers. base (e.g., bitter gourd).

Turmeric Reaction Indicator Reaction

Bases turn yellow turmeric paper or Bases turn red litmus paper blue and
solution to reddish color. give green color with red rose extract.
Red Rose Extract as a Natural Indicator
Collect Rose Petals
Gather fallen red rose petals from your surroundings
(avoid plucking flowers).
Crush the Petals
Wash the petals and crush them using a mortar and
pestle.
Extract the Color
Place crushed petals in hot water for 5-10 minutes until
the water becomes colored.
Filter the Solution
Filter the mixture to obtain the red rose extract that will
serve as an acid-base indicator.
Testing with Red Rose
Extract
Prepare Extract
Place 10-20 drops of red rose extract in small transparent bottles
or test tubes.

Add Samples
Add 20-30 drops of test substances (lemon juice, soap solution,
etc.) to separate test tubes.

Observe Changes
Note the color changes: acidic substances turn the extract red,
while basic substances turn it green.

Compare Results
Compare with litmus paper results to confirm the nature of
substances.
Other Natural Indicators

Nature provides us with many plant-based indicators beyond red rose extract. Purple cabbage, beetroot, turmeric, Indian blackberry
(jamun), and red hibiscus flowers can all serve as acid-base indicators, showing distinct color changes in acidic and basic solutions.

Hydrangea flowers naturally demonstrate this phenomenon - they produce blue flowers in acidic soil and pink or red flowers in basic
soil, allowing gardeners to alter flower colors by adjusting soil pH.
Turmeric as an Indicator
Prepare Turmeric Paste
Mix turmeric powder with water to make a paste, or grind fresh turmeric root.

Create Turmeric Paper

Dip filter paper in turmeric paste until it turns yellow, then allow it to dry.

Test Substances
Apply drops of different substances to turmeric paper and
observe color changes.
Turmeric's Reaction
with Substances

0 0
Acidic Substances Neutral Substances
No color change occurs when acidic No color change occurs when neutral
substances like lemon juice or vinegar substances like water or sugar
are applied to turmeric paper. solution are applied to turmeric
paper.

1
Basic Substances
Turmeric paper turns reddish when
basic substances like soap solution or
baking soda are applied.

Unlike litmus, turmeric paper can only identify basic substances. It cannot
differentiate between acidic and neutral substances as it shows no color
change with either. This makes turmeric a specific indicator for bases rather
than a universal acid-base indicator.
Creative Applications of Indicators

Secret Message Cards Invisible Ink Indicator Rangoli

Ashwin created a greeting card for Guru Keerthi wrote a secret birthday message to Students can create beautiful rangoli
Purnima by applying turmeric paste on her grandmother using orange juice as patterns using natural indicators and
white paper and writing his message using invisible ink, which could be revealed by acidic or basic substances, showcasing the
a basic solution like soap water, which heating the paper or using appropriate colorful chemistry of acid-base reactions.
appeared as red text on the yellow indicators.
background.
Olfactory Indicators: Detecting by Smell

Smell Detection
Some substances change odor in acidic or basic media

Onion as Indicator
Onion-soaked cloth strips change smell with acids and bases

Testing Process
Compare odors before and after adding acidic or basic
solutions

Olfactory indicators work through our sense of smell rather than sight. In the onion experiment, cloth strips are soaked with onion odor
overnight. When acidic substances like tamarind water or basic substances like baking soda solution are added to these strips, the odor
changes noticeably.

This demonstrates that acid-base indicators can work through different sensory mechanisms, not just visual color changes. The change
in smell occurs due to chemical reactions between the onion compounds and the acidic or basic substances.
Neutralization: When Acids Meet Bases

Lemon Juice

Vinegar

Water

Baking Soda

Lime Water

0 4 8 12

When an acidic solution is mixed with a basic solution in sufficient quantity, they neutralize each other. The resulting solution is neither
acidic nor basic but neutral. This process is called a neutralization reaction.

In a neutralization reaction, an acid and a base combine to form salt and water, with the release of heat: Acid + Base ³ Salt + Water +
Heat. This fundamental chemical reaction has many practical applications in our daily lives.
Neutralization Experiment

Acidic Solution Add Indicator

Start with diluted lemon juice in a test Add blue litmus solution, which turns red
tube in the acidic solution

Observe Change Add Base

Eventually, the solution changes from red Slowly add lime water (a basic solution)
to blue as neutralization occurs drop by drop
Neutralization in Daily Life: Ant Bites
The Problem The Solution
When a red ant bites, it injects formic acid into the skin, causing Applying moist baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) to the affected
redness, stinging pain, and irritation. This acidic substance is area helps neutralize the formic acid injected by the ant. The
what makes ant bites so uncomfortable. basic nature of baking soda counteracts the acidic nature of the
ant venom.
Different regions have various traditional remedies for treating
ant bites, many of which work on the principle of neutralization. This neutralization reaction helps relieve the pain and reduce
inflammation, demonstrating a practical application of acid-base
chemistry in first aid.
Neutralization in
Agriculture: Soil
Treatment
Acidic Soil Problem Basic Soil Problem
Excessive use of chemical Sometimes soil can become too
fertilizers can make soil too basic, which also prevents plants
acidic. Plants don't grow well in from accessing certain nutrients
highly acidic soil as they cannot and affects their growth.
absorb nutrients properly.
Nutrient deficiencies
Poor plant growth Wilting
Yellowing leaves Reduced yield
Stunted development

Neutralization Solutions
Farmers can adjust soil pH through neutralization: adding lime to acidic soil
or organic matter to basic soil.

Lime neutralizes acidic soil

Manure neutralizes basic soil
Balanced pH improves growth
Environmental Applications of
Neutralization

Industrial Waste Acid Rain Mitigation Water Quality Monitoring

Treatment Acid rain caused by industrial emissions Testing the acidic, basic, or neutral nature
Factory waste that is acidic in nature can can damage plants, buildings, and water of water from various sources like rain,
harm aquatic life when released into lakes bodies. Neutralization techniques like taps, and rivers helps monitor
and rivers. Treatment facilities neutralize adding limestone to lakes or using alkaline environmental health and ensure water
this waste by adding basic substances substances in soil can help counteract safety for consumption and agriculture.
before releasing it, protecting the these effects.
ecosystem and fish population.
Solving the Science Fair Mystery

1 2 3
The Secret Message The Chemistry The Revelation
The science fair demonstration used acid- One possibility: the message was written When sprayed, the basic solution reacted
base indicators to reveal hidden messages using a basic solution like soap water on with turmeric to create a visible color
on white paper. turmeric-coated paper. change, revealing the hidden message.

This fascinating demonstration showcases the practical application of acid-base indicators in creating "invisible ink" that becomes
visible through chemical reactions. The same principles that help us classify substances as acidic, basic, or neutral can be used in
creative and entertaining ways.

As we've learned throughout this presentation, the chemistry of acids and bases is not just a laboratory curiosity but a fundamental
aspect of our daily lives - from the foods we eat to the soils we grow them in, from treating ant bites to protecting our environment.