pH indicators

Acids and bases are opposite like hot and cold;

neutral means neither or in-between.
The pH of a liquid is measured on a scale from 0 to
14.
When acids dissolve in water, they create
hydronium ions and have a sour taste.
When bases dissolve in water, they create
hydroxide ions and have a bitter taste.
Water and some other liquids are neutral
because the hydronium and hydroxide are
equal in number.

A small amount of water molecules will

break to make hydronium and hydroxide.
When equal amounts of acid and base mix, they make water
and a salt (not all salts are the same) and become neutral.
Cabbage juice contains a special molecule called
anthocyanin, which gives red cabbage its color.
Anthocyanin is also found in blueberries, grapes and lots
of other plants.
Acid-Base Indicators are chemicals
that change color depending on how
strong the acid or base is.
Many plants have anthocyanins in their leaves or flowers.
Hydrangea is one plant that you can control the color of
by controlling the pH of the soil.
Plants that change to
red in the autumn do
so because the plant,
knowing that the
leaves will die, saves
the more valuable
green color in another
form and plant part,
leaving other
chemicals that make it
look yellow and red.
Your first three materials to test must be
Vinegar (acid), water (neutral) and baking soda (base)
These are standards, something to compare to know the unknowns.