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- It was in the 14th century that scientists discovered that litmus, a mixture of colored organic compounds obtained from lichen, turns red in acid solutions and blue in alkaline solutions and, thus, can be used as an acid-base indicator.
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A litmus test is used in chemistry to determine if a solution is acidic or basic. During a litmus exam, a special type of paper is dipped in the liquid being examined. The material is tested using litmus paper, which turns red if it’s acidic and blue if it’s alkaline, or basic.
Litmus is a water-soluble mixture of different dyes extracted from lichens. It is often absorbed onto filter paper to produce one of the oldest forms of pH indicator, used to test materials for acidity. In an acidic medium, blue litmus paper turns red, while in a basic or alkaline medium, red litmus paper turns blue.
- Litmus Paper Colors
- How to Perform The Litmus Test
- Limitations of The Litmus Test
- History and Preparation
- How The Litmus Test Works
- Alternatives to Litmus Paper
- References
There are three varieties of litmus paper: purple, blue, and red. Purple litmus paper contains the dyes used in both blue and red litmus paper. 1. Purple Litmus Paper: Purple at neutral pH, red below pH 4.5, blue above pH 8.3 2. Blue Litmus Paper: Unchanged blue or sometimes purple at neutral pH, red below pH 4.5, blue above pH 8.3. Blue paper that...
The litmus test tells whether a liquid or gas is acidic, neutral, or basic. It indicates whether the substance is pH 4.5 or lower, between 4.5 and 8.3, or 8.3 or higher. The litmus test does not accurately gauge pH — it only tells if the sample is acidic, neutral, or basic.
The biggest limitation of the litmus test is that it gives a rough estimate of pH and not a numerical value. Another limitation is that litmus sometimes changes colors from reactions beside an acid-base reaction. For example, chlorine gas turns blue litmus paper irreversibly white. Basically, it bleaches the dye.
The word “litmus” comes from an old Norse word for “color” or “dye.” Litmus came into use around 1300 CE by Spanish alchemistry and physician Arnaldus de Villa Nova. Lichens have been a source of litmus from the 16th century into modern times. Currently, the main sources of litmus are the species Roccella montagnei and Dendrographa leucophoea. Othe...
Red litmus is a weak diprotic acid. When exposed to a base, hydrogen ions from litmus react with the base to form the blue conjugate base. The mechanism works in reverse for blue litmus. The blue conjugate base accepts protons from the acid in the test sample, producing the red litmus. At a neutral pH, the process is at equilibrium. Both the red di...
Coating filter paper with orcein dye or azolitmin dye results in filter paper that behaves much like litmus paper. However, you can coat filter paper with any pH indicator. Universal indicator yields a rainbow of color changes that correspond to numerical pH values. Red cabbage juiceis another good choice because it displays a range of colors and i...
Beecken, H.; E-M. Gottschalk; U. v Gizycki; H. Krämer; D. Maassen; H-G. Matthies; H. Musso; C. Rathjen; Ul. Zdhorszky (2003). “Orcein and Litmus”. Biotechnic & Histochemistry. 78 (6): 289–302. doi:...Musso, H.; Rathjen, C. (1959). “Orcein dyes. X. Light absorption and chromophore of litmus”. Chem. Ber. 92(3): 751–3. doi:10.1002/cber.19590920331Apr 22, 2024 · Litmus paper is a simple and commonly used chemical indicator in chemistry and biology. It is a small strip or square of absorbent paper that has been impregnated with a natural water-soluble dye extracted from lichens, particularly the litmus lichen.
Jul 24, 2024 · The litmus test is a quick method of determining whether a liquid or gaseous solution is acidic or basic (alkaline). The test can be performed using litmus paper or an aqueous solution containing litmus dye. Initially, litmus paper is either red or blue.
- Anne Marie Helmenstine, Ph.D.
Litmus, mixture of coloured organic compounds obtained from several species of lichens that grow in the Netherlands, particularly Lecanora tartarea and Roccella tinctorum. Litmus turns red in acidic solutions and blue in alkaline solutions and is the oldest and most commonly used indicator of.
Apr 3, 2023 · Litmus paper is a form of pH paper created by dying the paper with natural lichen dynes. By treating filter paper with any of the standard pH indicators, you can create paper test strips to determine the pH of an aqueous solution. Litmus was one of the first indicators used for this purpose.