Which indicator(s) would you use to determine which chemicals are which, and whether they are acids/bases?
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You could think about it in terms of pH because the lower the pH value the most acidic something is.
For example, one could tell ammonia is basic based on the way ammonia acts when exposed to other elements. An example i will use is water. The first thing you need to know is this. Elements can undergo what is know as dissociation. For example in all water(H2O) it will be found that you also can find H+ and OH- floating in the solution. this is a natural thing water and most molecules will do as a solution. this is in what is called equilibrium with the h2o molecule. When ammonia is placed in water it will actually take the H+ ions from the solution and form NH4+. By taking the H+ ion the ammonia is leaving an excess of OH- (hydroxide) ions. The concentration of OH- ions is also used to calculate the pH level of a solution. The presence of the OH- ion will indicate a basic solution and due to the fact that the ammonia has created an excess of them it is seen that ammonia is basic as a solution.
Now, the 'fizz' in soda is caused by bubbles of carbon dioxide dissolved into the liquid under pressure. It bonds with water molecules to form carbonic acid, hence the acidity.
The rain is an acid because rain absorbs carbon dioxide which forms carbonic acid. That is the same reason that carbonated water has a low pH.
Speaking of water, you know pure water is neutral because if you think about it, our bodies need a balanced pH in order to live and since we are mostly made of water, you need this to be neutral as our blood which has a pH of about 7.
Let me know if you need more help
Dee
For example, one could tell ammonia is basic based on the way ammonia acts when exposed to other elements. An example i will use is water. The first thing you need to know is this. Elements can undergo what is know as dissociation. For example in all water(H2O) it will be found that you also can find H+ and OH- floating in the solution. this is a natural thing water and most molecules will do as a solution. this is in what is called equilibrium with the h2o molecule. When ammonia is placed in water it will actually take the H+ ions from the solution and form NH4+. By taking the H+ ion the ammonia is leaving an excess of OH- (hydroxide) ions. The concentration of OH- ions is also used to calculate the pH level of a solution. The presence of the OH- ion will indicate a basic solution and due to the fact that the ammonia has created an excess of them it is seen that ammonia is basic as a solution.
Now, the 'fizz' in soda is caused by bubbles of carbon dioxide dissolved into the liquid under pressure. It bonds with water molecules to form carbonic acid, hence the acidity.
The rain is an acid because rain absorbs carbon dioxide which forms carbonic acid. That is the same reason that carbonated water has a low pH.
Speaking of water, you know pure water is neutral because if you think about it, our bodies need a balanced pH in order to live and since we are mostly made of water, you need this to be neutral as our blood which has a pH of about 7.
Let me know if you need more help
Dee
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Not sure, but HPh? phenolphthalein?