Litmus paper is considered the most recognizable pH paper, it is used to check an acidic or basic solution, it comes in three types red litmus paper (indicates blue in basic), blue litmus paper ( indicates red in acid), neutral litmus (indicates red in acid, blue in base). To determine the precise pH of a solution, you will need a more specific pH test paper than a litmus strip. There are several advantages to using pH papers and strips.
The advantages of a pH paper:
- They are faster and easier to use than pH meters.
- pH papers are portable, so you can take them with you.
- It is a very inexpensive method for pH determination.
- pH strips and paper offer greater accuracy compared to liquid indicators.
- The color of the paper changes depending on the pH.
The disadvantages of a pH paper:
- Does not determine the exact pH of the solution, compared to the pH meter
- Only colorless solutions can give better results.
- Doubt about reproducibility.
- The possibility of contamination of the solution is high because the pH paper is in contact with air and cannot be washed.