ACID BASE CHEMISTRY

EXPERIMENT NO. 3

Charm Angel R. Dalupang, Angelica J. David, Kristel Aryanna M. Bonifacio, Czeremya

Pilar M. Castillo, Chelsea L. Chavez

FEU-NRMF, 1MT-L
e-mail: charmangelesd@gmail.com
: angelsdavid101@gmail.com

Abstract

This experiment aims to characterize acids and bases in terms of physical and chemical
properties. Also, it aims to discuss the fundamentals of indicators, pH and hydronium ion.
Moreover, it is also to explain the importance of pH, hydronium ion and indicators in an acid-base
reaction. This experiment is done to broaden the knowledge of students about the reactivity of
different substances to the specific indicators given in order to determine whether a substance is
acid, base, or neutral.

The experiment is comprise of four parts wherein there are different substances given such
as Acetic Acid, Vinegar, Distilled Water, NaOH solution, and KOH solution. In addition, there are
also different indicators used in the experiment such as Litmus paper, Phenolphthalein, Methyl
orange and Bromothymol blue. It also has questions that further explains the experiment results
and the relationship of its pKa value to the equilibrium shifting. Thus, the proponents conducted
this experiment in order to lively observe the reactivity of the different substances to the different
indicators given. As a result the proponents of the experiment found out that Acetic acid and
vinegar is acid while NaOH solution and KOH solution is base. Lastly, the distilled water was also
determined as a neutral substance considering all the various indicators that was used.

Keywords: acids, bases, neutralization, equilibrium shifting

Introduction

There are three major classifications of substances known as acids or bases; the Arrhenius
Theory, Bronsted-Lowry and the Lewis Theory. The Arrhenius Theory of Acids and Bases stated
that acid is a compound that increases the concentration of H+ ions that are present when added to
water and a base produces OH. This theory was developed by Svante Arrhenius in 1883. Next, the
Bronsted-Lowry Theory of Acids and Bases asserted that acid is a proton (hydrogen ion) donor
and base is a proon (hydrogen ion) acceptor. This is the theory that emphasized the concept of pH
scale wherein the strength of acidity and basicity can be measured by its concentration on H+ ions.
The pH scale is often measured on a 1 to 14 range. A substance with a pH less than 7 indicates
acidic properties and greater than 7 indicate basic properties. Note that a pH at exactly 7 is neutral.
Lastly, the Lewis Theory of Acids and Bases stated that acids act as electron pair acceptors and
bases act as electron pair donors. This theory only talks about the transfer of electron pairs
(Overview of Acids and Bases, 2019)

Moreover, acid-base reactions happen when an acid and base are placed together. They
react to neutralize the acid and base properties, producing a salt. It happens when the H (+) cation
of the acid combines with the OH (-) anion of the base to form water. The product formed by the
cation of the base and the anion of the acid is called a salt (HyperPhysics, n.d.). The main example
of it is the combination of hydrochloric acid and sodium hydroxide which produces common table
salt. Bear in mind that the word salt is a general term which applies to the products of all acid-base
reactions.

In addition, based on Tarvin (2010), there are different characteristics of acids and bases.
The general characteristics of acids are; it has pH level less than seven, it has sour taste, it reacts
with a metal to form hydrogen gas, it increases the H+ concentration in water, it donates H+ ions
and turns blue litmus indicator into red. In relation to pKa values (one that determines acid
strength), the stronger the acid, the weaker its conjugate base is. If the acid in the reactant side
have greater pKa value, the equilibrium shifting will favour the reactant side and vice versa. It also
favour weaker acids. Meanwhile, the general characteristics for bases are; it has pH level greater
than seven, it has bitter taste, it has slippery feeling when touched, it increases the OH-
concentration in water, it accepts OH- ions and it turns red litmus indicator into blue.
Experimental Methodology

This experiment consists of four parts wherein the substances given are (1) Acetic Acid,
(2) Vinegar, (3) Distilled Water, (4) NaOH, and (5) KOH Solution. The indicators used to
determine whether the substances are acid or base are litmus paper, phenolphthalein, methyl
orange and bromothymol blue.

For determining the reaction of the substances; the first indicator is the litmus paper, the
group placed the different substances given which are the acetic acid, vinegar, distilled water,
NaOH and KOH solution in a watch glass. Also, they prepared pieces of blue and red litmus paper
wherein one member dropped the litmus papers to the substances in the watch glass. For the next
indicator which is the phenolphthalein, the group placed the different substances again in a watch
glass and they added two drops of phenolphthalein to every substance. This procedure was
repeated for the third and last indicators which are the Methyl orange and Bromothymol blue.
Lastly, observations was conducted to the substances after dropping the different indicators given
in order to determine if it is an acid, base, or neutral and there was also a couple of questions
needed to be answered at the end of the experiment to further support the results.

Results and Discussion

The following are the results obtained from the experiment on acids and bases chemistry:

REACTION
TO METHYL BROMOTHYMOL
SUBSTANCES PHENOLPHTHALEN
LITMUS ORANGE BLUE
PAPER
Acetic Acid Acid Acid Acid Acid
Vinegar Acid Acid Acid Acid
Distilled Water Neutral Neutral Neutral Neutral
NaOH Solution Base Base Base Base
 KOH Solution Base Base Base Base

This experiment requires the proponents to use different acid – base indicators (substances
whose solutions change color due to the alteration into pH levels) such as Litmus Paper,
Phenolphthalen, Methyl Orange, and Bromothymol Blue.

In terms of the substances’ reaction to litmus paper, the table shows that acetic acid and
vinegar is basically an acid. This is due to the blue litmus paper turning into color red. On the other
hand, NaOH solution and KOH solution turned the red litmus paper into blue litmus paper which
indicates that the substances are base. Similarly, litmus paper is either red or blue. According to
Helmenstine (2019), red paper turns blue when the pH is alkaline, while blue paper turns red when
the pH turns acidic. It is most often used to test the pH levels of liquids. However, the distilled
water is considered neutral since the litmus paper turned into purple in color.

In addition, when Phenolphthalein is used as an indicator especially in acid-base titrations,

its compound’s color alters due to a process called ionization. Ionized molecules attract other
molecules with the opposite charge and repel those with the same charge. In terms of
Phenolphthalene, the molecule’s shape is affected. According to Baum (2018), the combined shape
and electric charge identifies how a molecule responds to light. All colors of light pass through
Phenolphthalein making its appearance to be clear. When exposed to bases, it starts to create
barrier for the blue colors of the spectrum to enter, which turns the light pinkish. The stronger the
base is, the more the Phenolphthalein molecule changes and the darker the pink hue will be ranging
from pink to red. In this case, Acetic acid and vinegar are still acids while NaOH solution and
KOH solution remains to be base since the indicator turned into pink. On the other hand, distilled
water is still neutral since it signifies color beige.

Another indicator used was the Methyl Orange. It is a pH indicator frequently used for
titrating acids. Quite similar to the Litmus paper, it turns into color red when the substance is an
acid. However, it turns into yellow orange determining that the substance is a base. In this
experiment, vinegar and acetic acid is still the acid while the NaOH solution and KOH solution
remains to be indicated as base substances. On the other hand, the distilled water is neutral since
the indicator turns into color orange.
 Lastly, the proponents also used Bromothymol blue (a weak acid) as a pH indicator to
determine the consistency of the results to each substances. It is commonly used for procedures
that require measuring substances which has a relatively neutral pH (near 7). This is typically used
for measuring the presence of carbonic acid in a liquid (Bromothymol blue, n.d.). The results also
imposed that Acetic acid and vinegar is an Acid while the NaOH solution and KOH solution is
base. Still, distilled water is neutral. The proponents have identified this dependent on the color of
the indicator as they dropped it to the substances. Its color turns into yellow, which indicates that
the substance is an acid and it turns into color blue if the substance is base. Finally, it is neutral as
its color turns into green.

Synthesis

In conclusion, the Acetic acid and vinegar is an acid substance while the NaOH solution
and KOH solution is base. On the other hand, distilled water is a neutral substance. The results
determining whether a substance is acid, base, or neutral was all the same for all the substances
even though there was utilization of different forms of indicators. It only differs unto the color of
the indicator when reacted or tested with these substances which would identify the substance as
an acid, base, or neutral.
References

1. Helmenstine, A. M. (2019, August 7). What Is Litmus Paper? How to Do the Litmus Test.
Retrieved September 30, 2019, from https://www.thoughtco.com/what-is-litmus-paper-
3976018.
2. Libretexts. (2019, June 5). Overview of Acids and Bases. Retrieved from
https://chem.libretexts.org/Bookshelves/Physical_and_Theoretical_Chemistry_Textbook
_Maps/Supplemental_Modules_(Physical_and_Theoretical_Chemistry)/Acids_and_Base
s/Acid/Overview_of_Acids_and_Bases.
3. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://hyperphysics.astr.gsu.edu/hbase/Chemical/acidbase.html.
4. Baum, J. (2019, March 2). Why Does Phenolphthalein Change Color? Retrieved from
https://sciencing.com/phenolphthalein-change-color-5271431.html.
5. Bromothymol blue. (n.d.). Retrieved from
https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/Bromothymol-blue.