DACUME, JERIEME M

OLCA133M028 - BS CRIMINOLOGY

Activity 3: pH Measurement

Objective
Understand how to measure and interpret pH values.
Materials
• pH paper or a pH meter
• Various household substances (e.g., vinegar, baking soda solution,
lemon juice, soap solution,
distilled water)
Task
1. Predict: Make predictions about the pH of each substance.
2. Measure: Use pH paper or a pH meter to measure the pH of each
substance.
3. Record: Record the measured pH values.
4. Analyze: Compare your predictions with the actual pH values and
discuss any discrepancies.
OBSERVATION AND ANALYSIS: MIXING HOUSEHOLD SUBSTANCES
1. Vinegar and Baking Soda Solution:
Procedure:
• Slowly add baking soda solution to vinegar.
Observation (During Mixing):
• Vigorous bubbling occurs due to the production of carbon dioxide gas.
• The solution becomes cloudy as the reaction progresses.
Analysis:
• The acetic acid in vinegar reacts with sodium bicarbonate to form
carbonic acid, which immediately decomposes into CO2 gas and water.
The remaining solution contains sodium acetate and water, which is
neutral or slightly basic, hence the observed pH of around 7.
2. Lemon Juice and Soap Solution
Procedure:
• Mix lemon juice with soap solution in small quantities.
Observation (During Mixing):
• The solution becomes slightly foamy, indicating some interaction
between the acidic and basic components.
• No significant gas production or color change is observed.
 Analysis:
Lemon juice, being acidic, partially neutralizes the soap solution's basic
nature. The final pH indicates that the acidity of the lemon juice dominates
slightly over the basicity of the soap, but the solution doesn’t reach
neutrality due to the remaining acidic components.

3. Distilled Water and Lemon Juice

Procedure:
• Add lemon juice to distilled water.
Observation (During Mixing):
• The solution becomes slightly cloudy but mostly remains clear.
• No gas or significant color change is observed.
Analysis:
• The distilled water dilutes the acidity of the lemon juice, raising the pH
but still reflecting the acidic nature of the lemon juice. This shows how
dilution affects pH, reducing the intensity of the acidity.
4. Soap Solution and Baking Soda Solution
Procedure:
• Combine soap solution with baking soda solution.
Observation (During Mixing):
• The mixture remains clear, and there’s no visible reaction.
• The solution feels slippery due to the basic nature of both substances.
Analysis:
• Mixing two basic solutions typically results in a slight increase in pH or
maintains the higher pH value of the two. Both soap and baking soda are
bases, so their combination doesn’t neutralize; rather, it reinforces the
basicity, resulting in a pH that aligns closely with the more basic soap
solution.