CHEMISTRY ACTIVITY

OLFACTORY INDICATORS
STUDENT PROFILE :
NAME:SRINITHA.J
 CLASS:10
 SUBJECT: CHEMISTRY
 TOPIC: OLFACTORY INDICATORS
 TEACHER:DARMILI SIRISHA.B
 SCHOOL:SRI AMBAL PUBLIC SCHOOL
INDICATORS:

 Anindicator is a substance that changes its

colour in acidic and basic medium. An
indicator shows one colour in an acidic
medium and different colours in a basic
medium so that they are called indicators.
OLFACTORY INDICATOR:
An olfactory indicator is a substance whose smell varies
depending on whether it is mixed with an acidic or basic solution.
These type of indicators are used in laboratories to check
whether a given solution is a basic or an acidic solution by a
process known as olfactory titration.

There are certain substances whose odour (smell)changes in

acidic or basic solutions. These substances are called olfactory
indicators.
The olfactory indicators have a characteristics odour.
This odour in olfactory indicators is changed in acidic or basic
solution and helps us in detecting whether a given sample
solutions is acidic or basic in nature.
EXAMPLES:

Onion: Paste or juice of onion loses its smell when added

with base. It does not change its smell with acid.
 Vanilla: The smell of vanilla vanishes with base, but it’s
smell does not vanishes with an acid.
VANILLA EXTRACT ONION
The term olfactory means relating to
the sense of smell.Those substances
whose smell changes in acidic or basic
solutions are called olfactory
indicators.Onion and vanilla extract
are olfactory indicators.
1)Onion has a characteristic smell.
When a basic solution like sodium
hydroxide solution is added to a cloth
strip treated withonion extract then
the onion smellcannot be
detected.An acidic solution like
hydrochloric acid does not destroy
the smell of onions.
Aim :
To check the olfactory indicator.
Required Materials :
1. Onions 2. Knife 3. Plastic bag 4. . clothes.
Procedure:
Take some onions and finely chop them.
Put the chopped onions in a plastic bag with some clean cloth.
Tie up the bag tightly and keep it overnight in the fridge.
Observation :
Check the odour of the cloth strips.
Result:
It is used as the acid indicator.
 2)Vanillaextract has a characteristic
pleasant smell.If a basic solution like
sodium hydroxide solution is added to
vanilla extract,then we cannot detect the
characteristic smell of vanilla extract.An
acidic solution like hydrochloric acid does
not destroy the smell of vanilla extract.This
can be used as test for acids and bases.
THANK YOU