Name: Ahmad Abdulkadir Arabi
American University of Nigeria
DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
INTRODUCTION TO BIOLOGY
BIO120 LAB 5
SOLUTIONS, ACIDS AND
BASES
Abstract:
The purpose of this experiment was to determine the pH value of various
items using pH paper. A color chart was utilized to understand the color
shift and assign a value to it. As a result, a basic understanding of the pH
system and how it works was gained. And also to determine the
buffering capacity in a solution of weak acid and conjugate base or weak
base and conjugate acid used to resist pH change with the added solute.
Introduction:
The pH of a solution is a measure of the molar concentration of hydrogen
ions in the solution and as such is a measure of the acidity (how much
acid something has) or basicity of the solution.
Comparing the potential of solutions with unknown [H+] to a known refe
rence potential is how pH is measured. Acids and bases are two types
of synthetic chemicals that are rather uncommon.
There are three types of fluids: acidic, basic, and neutral.
pH is a numbering system that ranges from 0 to 14. From 0 to 6.99
substance are, with 0 being the most grounded.
The bases range from 7.01 to 14, with 14 being the most basic.
When a fluid has a pH of 7, it is considered neutral.
Buffers aren't designed to keep solutions neutral; instead, they work to m
aintain them balanced.
Blood, for example, acts as a buffer in the body because it maintains a co
nsistent pH without having to be neutral.
If a system is disrupted by an outside material with a higher or lower pH,
a buffer will strive to keep the pH as constant as possible so that a signifi
cant change does not occur.
These solutions are measured using indicators that changes color
depending on the acidic or basic nature of a solution. When trying to
calculate the pH of an acid the formula used is:
o pH = -log[H+]
Materials:
o Vinegar
o Orange
o Coke
o Sprite
o Blood
o Coffee
o Hypo
o Lime
o Aspirin
o Apple
o Tomato
o Detergent
o Milk
o Urine
o Shampoo
o Mouth Wash
o Egg
o Alcohol
o Saliva
o NaCl
o water
o Antacid
o 0.1M HCl
o pH dipstick
o pen and paper
Methods:
Procedure 5.1: In this experiment, all of the samples were gathered as
well as the pH paper. After getting hands on each material, a single piece
of pH paper was dipped into each differently. The color shift were
examined and compared with the manual's color chart. And the pH of
each component was tracked and recorded.
Results:
Substance PH Value Acidic, Basic or Neutral
Vinegar 1 Acidic
Orange 4 Acidic
Coke 2 Acidic
Sprite 4 Acidic
Blood 2 Acidic
Coffee 4 Acidic
Hypo 12 Basic
Lime 0 Acidic
Aspirin 2 Acidic
Apple 5 Acidic
Tomato 4 Acidic
Detergent 12 Basic
Milk 4 Acidic
Urine 7 Neutral
Shampoo 9 Basic
Mouth Wash 5 Acidic
Egg 9 Basic
Alcohol 5 Acidic
Saliva 5 Acidic
NaCl 7 Neutral
Water 7 Neutral
Skimmed 7 Neutral
milk
Procedure 5.2: This experiment, dealt with the ability of solutions of
buffer tested in order to stabilize the pH. Four test tubes were labeled and
then 5mL of water, 0.1 M NaCl, Skim milk and 0.1 M phosphate buffer
solutions were placed in their appropriate labeled test tubes. We allowed
the liquid to touch the indicators for about 15 seconds, removed it, and
matched it with the most similar color scheme to record the initial pH.
This was repeated for all of the solutions. Next, we added five drops of
0.1 M of HCl to each liquid consecutively. After adding the HCl to each
liquid, we used parafilm so that we could mix the solution back and forth.
We took off the parafilm wrapper and stretched the parafilm so that it
could tightly hug the test tube to avoid any spillage. After mixing all of
the solutions with HCL, we got four new pH strips to test the final pH.
Result:
Testing the buffering capacity of various solutions
Solutions Initial pH Final pH (after HCl)
Water 7 2
0.1M NaCl 5 3
Skim milk 7 6
0.1M phosphate buffer 7 1
Conclusion:
In this lab, the ability to correctly grasp and recognize a substance's pH
level, as well as how it effects its acidic or basic nature, was thoroughly
explored.
References:
Morgan, Judith Giles and M. Eloise Brown Carter. Investigating Biology:
Laboratory Manual 8th Edition. Harlow UK: Pearson, 2015.
