PAG 11.1: pH – Problem Solving
Testing the pH of different solutions
- According to the Practical Activities Support Guide published by OCR:
- In PAG 11.1, students will be given a number of colourless solutions that could be acids and / or alkalis
- Students are to plan and implement a practical procedure to work out the identity of each solution
- However, the key skill / technique for Practical Activity Group 11 is the measurement of pH using charts, meters and probes attached to data loggers
- Therefore, the aim of this practical will be to test a range of solutions using a combined sequence of tests
- The solutions given could be the following:
Solution | Approximate pH |
Ammonia | 11.00 |
Ethanoic acid | 2.90 |
Hydrochloric acid | 1.10 |
Sulfuric acid | 1.00 |
Methanoic acid | 2.40 |
Sodium hydroxide | 13.00 |
Ethanoate buffer solution | 4.76 |
Method
Test 1 - Addition of universal indicator
- Add 5 cm3 of each solution to separate test tubes
- Add universal indicator solution to each test tube
- Record the pH’s of each solution in a results table
- Use the colour chart to identify the correct pH
Universal indicator pH chart
Test 2 - Using a pH probe
- Before completing this test, the pH probe will need calibrating
- After storage, a pH meter does not give accurate readings because the glass electrode in the pH meter does not give a reproducible emf over longer periods of time
- Calibration of a pH probe
- Rinse the pH probe with distilled water and shaken to remove excess water
- Place the tip of the pH probe in pH 4 buffer solution, ensuring the bulb is fully immersed
- Allow to sit until the pH stabilises
- Adjust reading to the pH of the buffer
- Repeat this process, including the washing with distilled water with a pH 9 buffer solution
- Once calibrated, the tip of the pH probe is rinsed with distilled water and shaken to remove excess water
- The tip is placed in the unknown solution, again, ensuring the bulb is fully immersed
- The pH is allowed to stabilise and then the reading recorded in a results table
- In practice, recalibration may sometimes be required during testing
- This process can then be repeated for each unknown solution
Test 3 - Using phenolphthalein indicator
- This can be done with a spotting tile
- Add a few drops of each solution to a labelled spotting tile (so each solution can be identified)
- Add 1 drop of phenolphthalein in each well
- Record observations in a results table
Specimen results
Solution | Test 1 - Using UI | Test 2 - pH probe | Test 3 - Phenolphthalein |
Ammonia | Pale blue = pH 10 | 10.39 | Turns pink |
Ethanoic acid | Orange = pH 3 | 2.89 | No change |
Hydrochloric acid | Red = pH 1 | 1.20 | No change |
Sulfuric acid | Red = pH 1 | 1.46 | No change |
Methanoic acid | Pink = pH 2 | 2.30 | No change |
Sodium hydroxide | Purple = pH 14 | 13.60 | Turns pink |
Ethanoate buffer | Orange = pH 3 | 2.96 | No change |
Examiner Tip
- Due to the potential variation in results, you would be given more guidance or more information about the unknown solutions in order to be able to identify them