pH indicator

A pH indicator is a halochromic chemical compound that is added in small amounts to a solution so that
the pH (acidity or alkalinity) of the solution can be determined easily. Hence a pH indicator is a chemical
detector for hydronium ions (H3O+) (or Hydrogen ions (H+) in the Arrhenius model). Normally, the
indicator causes the colour of the solution to change depending on the pH. Solutions with a pH value
above 7.0 are alkali, and solutions with a pH value below 7.0 are acidic. Solutions with a pH value of 7.0
are neutral.

Contents
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 1 Theory
 2 Application
 3 Commercial preparations
 4 Naturally occurring pH indicators

 5 References
Theory
pH indicators themselves are frequently weak acids or bases. When introduced into a solution, they may
bind to H+ (Hydrogen ion) or OH- (hydroxide) ions. The different electron configurations of the bound
indicator causes the indicator's color to change, which allows the pH to be determined by the different
colors.

Application
pH indicators are frequently employed in titrations in analytic chemistry and biology experiments to
determine the extent of a chemical reaction. Because of the subjective determination of color, pH
indicators are susceptible to imprecise readings. For applications requiring precise measurement of pH, a
pH meter is frequently used.

Tabulated below are several common laboratory pH indicators. Indicators usually exhibit intermediate
colors at pH values inside the listed transition range. For example, phenol red exhibits an orange color
between pH 6.8 and pH 8.4. The transition range may shift slightly depending on the concentration of the
indicator in solution and on the temperature at which it is used.

Indicator Low pH color Transition pH range High pH color

Gentian violet (Methyl violet) yellow 0.0–2.0 blue-violet

Leucomalachite green (first transition) yellow 0.0–2.0 green

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Leucomalachite green (second transition) green 11.6–14 colorless

Thymol blue (first transition) red 1.2–2.8 yellow

Thymol blue (second transition) yellow 8.0–9.6 blue

Methyl yellow red 2.9–4.0 yellow

Bromophenol blue yellow 3.0–4.6 purple

Congo red blue-violet 3.0–5.0 red

Methyl orange red 3.1–4.4 orange

Bromocresol green yellow 3.8–5.4 blue-green

Methyl red red 4.4–6.2 yellow

Methyl red / Bromocresol green red 4.5–5.2 green

Azolitmin red 4.5–8.3 blue

Bromocresol purple yellow 5.2–6.8 purple

Bromothymol blue yellow 6.0–7.6 blue

Phenol red yellow 6.8–8.4 purple

Neutral red red 6.8–8.0 yellow

Naphtholphthalein colorless to reddish 7.3–8.7 greenish to blue

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Cresol Red yellow 7.2–8.8 reddish-purple

Phenolphthalein colorless 8.3–10.0 fuchsia

Thymolphthalein colorless 9.3–10.5 blue

Alizarine Yellow R yellow 10.2–12.0 red

[edit] Commercial preparations

pH measurement with indicator paper.

Amino Acids

Introduction:

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 "This quiz will test your knowledge of the names, properties, and structures of the 20 amino acids.
All amino acids contain an alpha carbon bonded to 4 groups: a hydrogen (H) atom, a carboxyl group (-
COOH), an amino group (-NH3) and a side chain "R"."

1. Which of the following amino acids is the smallest of all amino acids?
A) Alanine B) Serine C) Valine D) Glycine

2. Which of the following amino acids can form a special covalent bond called a disulfide bond?
A) Methionine B) Tyrosine C) Lysine D) Cysteine

3. Which of the following amino acids is actually an imino acid?

A) Glutamic acid B) Alanine C) Proline D) Tryptophan

4. Which of the following amino acids is the largest of all the amino acids?
A) Glutamic acid B) Tyrosine C) Tryptophan D) Histidine

5. Which of the following amino acids is NOT positively charged?

A) Lysine B) Aspartic acid C) Arginine D) Histidine

6. The three letter abbreviation "asn" corresponds to which amino acid?

A) Asparagine B) Arginine C) Aspartic acid D) Alanine

7. Of amino acids abbreviated "Lys", "Glu", "Trp", and "Gln", which is a basic amino acid with a
positive charge?
A) Glutamic acid B) Lysine C) Tryptophan D) Glutamine

8. Which of the following amino acids' side chains is a single methyl group?
A) Alanine B) Leucine C) Valine D) Isoleucine

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9. Which two of the following amino acids could form a ionic bond?
A) Glutamic acid and Valine B) Aspartic acid and Lysine
C) Arginine and Glutamine D) Proline and Glycine

10. Which of the following amino acid(s) are polar?

A) Serine B) Arginine C) Tyrosine D) All of these

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Answer Amino Acids

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 1. Which of the following amino acids is the smallest of all amino acids?

The correct answer was Glycine.

Each amino acid, aside from its name, has a three letter abbreviation and a one letter code. Glycine, gly, or
G, is the smallest amino acid and fits in the non-polar group. Its "R" side chain is simply a hydrogen atom.
Small amino acids are more commonly included in proteins than larger and more bulky amino acids.

2. Which of the following amino acids can form a special covalent bond called a disulfide
bond?

The correct answer was Cysteine.

Cysteine, cys, or C, is a sulfur containing non-polar amino acid. Two cysteine residues containing -SH
groups form very stable covalent bonds called disulfides which stabilize and give structure to protein.

3. Which of the following amino acids is actually an imino acid?

The correct answer was Proline.

Proline, pro, or P, has three methyl groups that attach to both the alpha carbon and the amino group
forming a ring structure. An imino acid is any compound that contains both an imino (>C=NH) group and
a carboxyl (-COOH) group.

4. Which of the following amino acids is the largest of all the amino acids?
The correct answer was Tryptophan.

Tryptophan, trp, or W, is a member of the non-polar and aromatic group. Aromatic compounds contain
one or more ring structures. As a large and bulky amino acid, it is less commonly included in proteins.

5. Which of the following amino acids is NOT positively charged?

The correct answer was Aspartic acid.

Aspartic acid, asp or D, is an acidic and negatively charged amino acid that contains a carboxyl (-COO)
group. Lysine, arginine and histidine are all basic amino acids and contain a positively charged -NH3
group.

6. The three letter abbreviation "asn" corresponds to which amino acid?

Your Answer: Asparagine

Asparagine, asn or N, is a polar amino acid which contains an amide (R-C(=O)-N-R) group. Alanine has
the abbreviation Ala, arginine is Arg, and aspartic acid is Asp.

7. Of amino acids abbreviated "Lys", "Glu", "Trp", and "Gln", which is a basic amino acid with a positive
charge?
The correct answer was Lysine.
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Lysine is abbreviated "lys" and oddly enough has the code "K". The code "L" is used by leucine.

8. Which of the following amino acids' side chains is a single methyl group?

Your Answer: Alanine

Alanine, ala or A, is a small non-polar amino acid and has a methyl, -CH3, group.
54% of players have answered correctly.

9. Which two of the following amino acids could form a ionic bond?
The correct answer was Aspartic acid and Lysine.

An ionic bond will form between positively charged and negatively charged amino acids. Aspartic acid,
asp, or D, is a negatively charged acidic amino acid while lysine, lys, or K, is a positively charged basic
amino acid.

10. Which of the following amino acid(s) are polar?

The correct answer was All of these.

Serine, ser, or S, and tyrosine, tyr, or Y, both contain a hydroxyl (-OH) group. Arginine, arg, or R, is a
basic and positively charged amino acid. Of the 20 amino acids, 10 are polar and 10 are non-polar. Polar
molecules are named so because they contribute either a positive or negative charge.