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Acid-Base Indicators

Acid-Base Indicators
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How do acid-base indicators work? Frequently asked questions about indicators

alizarin red S

Approximate pH range for color change: 4.6-6.0 Color of acid form: yellow Color of base form: red

alizarin yellow GG

Type: In + H2O InH+ + OHpK: 11.0 Approximate pH range for color change: 10.0-12.0 Color of acid form: clear Color of base form: yellow

alizarin yellow R

Also known as: sodium 5-(p-nitrophenylazo)benzenesulfonate Approximate pH range for color change: 10.1-12.0 Color of acid form: yellow Color of base form: red

brilliant yellow

Approximate pH range for color change: 6.6-7.8 Color of acid form: yellow Color of base form: orange

bromocresol green
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Acid-Base Indicators

Also known as: 3',3'',5',5''-tetrabromo-m-cresol-sulfonephthalein Type: HIn + H2O In- + H3O+ pK: 4.90 Approximate pH range for color change: 3.8-5.4 Color of acid form: yellow Color of base form: blue

bromophenol blue

Also known as: 3',3'',5',5''-tetrabromophenolsulfonephthalein Type: HIn + H2O In- + H3O+ pK: 4.10 Approximate pH range for color change: 3.0-4.6 Color of acid form: yellow Color of base form: purple

bromothymol blue

Also known as: 3',3''-dibromothymolsulfonephtalein Type: HIn + H2O In- + H3O+ pK: 7.30 Approximate pH range for color change: 6.0-7.6 Color of acid form: yellow Color of base form: blue

chlorophenol red

Also known as: 3',3''-dichlorophenolsulfonephthalein Type: HIn + H2O In- + H3O+ pK: 6.25 Approximate pH range for color change: 4.8-6.4 Color of acid form: yellow Color of base form: red

clayton yellow

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Acid-Base Indicators

Approximate pH range for color change: 12.2-13.2 Color of acid form: yellow Color of base form: amber

congo red

Approximate pH range for color change: 3.0-5.0 Color of acid form: blue Color of base form: red

cresol red (in acid solution)

Also known as: o-cresolsulfonephthalein Approximate pH range for color change: 0.0-1.0 Color of acid form: red Color of base form: yellow

cresol red (in basic solution)

Also known as: o-cresolsulfonephthalein Approximate pH range for color change: 7.0-8.8 Color of acid form: yellow Color of base form: red

crystal violet

Type: HIn + H2O In- + H3O+ pK: Approximate pH range for color change: 0.0-1.8 Color of acid form: yellow Color of base form: blue

dimethyl yellow

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Acid-Base Indicators

Type: In + H2O InH+ + OHpK: 3.25 Approximate pH range for color change: 2.9-4.0 Color of acid form: red Color of base form: yellow

erythrosine (sodium salt)

Approximate pH range for color change: 2.2-3.6 Color of acid form: orange Color of base form: red

malachite green

pK: 1.0 Approximate pH range for color change: 0.2-1.8 Color of acid form: yellow Color of base form: blue-green

metacresol purple (in acid solution)

Also known as: m-cresol purple, cresol purple, m-cresolsulfonephthalein pK: ~2.0 Approximate pH range for color change: 1.2-2.8 Color of acid form: red Color of base form: yellow

metacresol purple (in basic solution)

Also known as: m-cresol purple, cresol purple, m-cresolsulfonephthalein Type: HIn + H2O In- + H3O+ pK: 8.32 Approximate pH range for color change: 7.6-9.2 Color of acid form: yellow Color of base form: purple-red

metanil yellow
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Acid-Base Indicators

Also known as: m-(p-anilinophenylazo)benzene sulfonate Approximate pH range for color change: 1.2-2.4 Color of acid form: red Color of base form: yellow

methyl green

Approximate pH range for color change: 0.2-1.8 Color of acid form: yellow Color of base form: blue

methyl orange

Type: InH+ + H2O In + H3O+ pK: 3.46 Approximate pH range for color change: 3.1-4.4 Color of acid form: red Color of base form: orange-yellow

methyl red

Type: InH+ + H2O In + H3O+ pK: 5.00 Approximate pH range for color change: 4.4-6.2 Color of acid form: red Color of base form: yellow

neutral red
Approximate pH range for color change: 6.8-8.0 Color of acid form: red Color of base form: amber

phenolphthalein

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Acid-Base Indicators

Type: HIn + H2O In- + H3O+ pK: 9.5 Approximate pH range for color change: 8.0-9.8 Color of acid form: clear Color of base form: red-violet

phenol red

Also known as: phenolsulfonephthalein Type: HIn + H2O In- + H3O+ pK: 8.00 Approximate pH range for color change: 6.4-8.2 Color of acid form: yellow Color of base form: red

paramethyl red
Also known as: sodium p-(p-dimethylaminophenylazo)-benzoate Approximate pH range for color change: 1.0-3.0 Color of acid form: red Color of base form: yellow

paranitrophenol
Also known as: p-nitrophenol Type: HIn + H2O In- + H3O+ pK: 7.15 Approximate pH range for color change: 5.6-7.6 Color of acid form: colorless Color of base form: yellow

quinaldine red

Approximate pH range for color change: 1.0-2.2 Color of acid form: clear Color of base form: red

resazurin

Approximate pH range for color change: 3.8-6.4 Color of acid form: orange
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Acid-Base Indicators

Color of base form: violet

thymolphthalein

Type: HIn + H2O In- + H3O+ pK: 9.7 Approximate pH range for color change: 9.3-10.5 Color of acid form: colorless Color of base form: blue

thymol blue (in acid solution)

Also known as: thymolsulfonephthalein Type: HIn + H2O In- + H3O+ pK: 1.65 Approximate pH range for color change: 1.2-2.8 Color of acid form: red Color of base form: yellow

thymol blue (in basic solution)

Also known as: thymolsulfonephthalein Type: HIn + H2O In- + H3O+ pK: 9.20 Approximate pH range for color change: 8.0-9.6 Color of acid form: yellow Color of base form: blue
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