Indicator

Indicator, in chemistry, natural or synthetic substance that changes color in response to the nature of
its chemical environment. Indicators are used to provide information about the degree of acidity of a
substance (pH) or the state of some chemical reaction within a solution being tested or analyzed. One
of the oldest indicators is litmus, a vegetable dye that turns red in acid solutions and blue in basic
ones. Other indicators include alizarin, methyl red, and phenolphthalein, each one being useful for a
particular range of acidity or a certain type of chemical reaction.
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