Name ______________________ Date_____ / _____ / _________

INTERPRETING THE pH SCALE

The pH scale measures the acidity or alkalinity of solutions. The scale is centered around the pH value
of 7. A pH value of less than 7 indicates an acidic solution. A pH of 7 indicates that a solution is
neutral. A pH value of greater than 7 indicates a basic solution.

Acidic pH < 7, Neutral pH ~ 7.0, Basic pH > 7

Chemical compounds that change color in the presence of certain ions are called Indicators.
Phenolphthalein turns pink in the presence of a base, but stays colorless in the presence of an acid.
Litmus dye turns red in the presence of an acid, but turns blue in the presence of a base.

Identify whether the solutions listed below are acids or bases. Write the color expected for each
indicator (phenolphthalein, litmus dye) when immersed and indicate the pH range you would
expect.

Solution Acid or Base Phenolphthalein Litmus pH Range

Ammonia

Coffee

Digestive juices

Drain cleaner

Human blood
Laundry
Detergent
Lemon juice

Milk

Rain

Saliva

Shampoo

Soda Pop

Sour Candy

Toothpaste

Vinegar

Vitamin C

©www.EasyTeacherWorksheets.com