You have been provided with three test tubes. One of them contains distilled water and the other two contain an acidic solution and a basic solution, respectively. If you are given only red litmus paper, how will you identify the contents of each test tube?

Litmus paper is a simple and quick method to determine whether a solution is acidic or basic.
we use red litmus paper to identify the contents of each test tube:

1. Testing for Acidity:

» Dip the red litmus paper into the solution in one of the test tubes.
» If the litmus paper turns blue, it indicates that the solution is basic.
» If there is no color change, it suggests that the solution is either neutral or acidic.

2. Testing for Basicity:

» Dip the red litmus paper into the solution in another test tube.
» If the litmus paper remains red, it suggests that the solution is either neutral or acidic.
» If the litmus paper turns blue, it indicates that the solution is basic.

3. Identifying Distilled Water:

» Dip the red litmus paper into the solution in the third test tube.
» If the litmus paper remains red, it suggests that the solution is either neutral or acidic.
» Distilled water is generally neutral, so if the litmus paper remains red, the solution is likely neutral.

By comparing the results from all three test tubes, you can identify the contents:

» The test tube where litmus paper turned blue contains a basic solution.
» The test tube where litmus paper remained red likely contains distilled water or a neutral solution.
» The remaining test tube, where there was no color change in the litmus paper, contains an acidic solution.

This method relies on the fact that litmus paper changes color in response to the pH of the solution. Red litmus paper turns blue in a basic solution and remains red in an acidic or neutral solution.