There are different types of methods available to determine the pH value of the substance in which electrometric and colorimetric methods are used. Some of the common methods of pH determination are universal indicator, blue litmus paper, red litmus paper and pH paper etc.
What is a pH paper?
A pH paper is a piece of paper (indicator) used to determine the pH of a solution, which comes in the form of strips saturated with pH indicators. So whether an acid or a base is present; pH paper may change color depending on the pH of the sample solution.
Typically it is used submerged in the solution, or a drop of the sample solution can be placed on the pH strip to see the color change. The color is compared to the reference scale (01-14) when a color change occurs. This method is used to find the pH of a solution.
What is litmus paper?
A litmus paper is a test strip used to determine if a sample solution is acidic or basic. Litmus paper is free from impurities that can cause color changes due to the pH of the solution. Lichen is the main raw material used in making sunflower, and the paper is pH activated after lichen infusion.
Litmus paper comes in two types: red and blue. The color of red litmus turns blue when a drop of basic solution is added to it, and when a drop of basic solution is added to blue litmus, its color does not change. The color of red litmus paper will not change if an acid solution is dropped on it. On the other hand, a drop of acid solution on blue litmus changes the color from blue to red. Compared to pH paper, litmus paper cannot provide an accurate pH value for a solution.
Difference between pH paper and litmus paper:
- The main difference between pH paper and litmus paper is that litmus paper shows that the sample is acidic, basic or neutral while pH paper shows the exact pH value.
- pH paper has a scale of 01 to 14 and is used to determine the acidity or alkalinity of a solution, while litmus paper gives a rough idea of whether a sample solution is acidic or basic.
- pH paper offers more accurate readings than litmus paper.
- Depending on the pH of the solution, pH papers show a range of different colors, while litmus paper shows only two colors, red or blue.
- It is believed that pH strips are more sensitive than litmus paper since litmus paper cannot provide quantitative data.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ):
What is the most accurate pH paper or litmus paper?
pH paper gives more accurate results than litmus paper because pH paper can determine the pH range of the solution.
Why is Universal pH Paper better than Litmus Paper?
Since a universal pH paper can indicate a variety of colors depending on the pH of the solution, so it is useful in determining the strength of acid or alkali.
Is pH paper litmus paper?
Litmus paper is a type of pH paper used in various ways to determine whether a sample solution is acidic or basic.
