How is universal indicator different to litmus

It is a mixture of several different indicators. Unlike litmus, universal indicator can show us how strongly acidic or alkaline a solution is, not just that the solution is acidic or alkaline.

This is measured using the pH scale , which runs from pH 0 to pH Universal indicator has many different colour changes, from red for strongly acidic solutions to dark purple for strongly alkaline solutions. In the middle, neutral pH 7 is indicated by green. When you use universal indicator paper, you get more accurate results if you only put a small spot of the test solution on the paper, and then leave the colour to develop for about 30 seconds before comparing it with the colour chart.

These are the important points about the pH scale:. Indicators and the pH scale Solutions can be acidic, alkaline or neutral: we get an acidic solution when an acid is dissolved in water we get an alkaline solution when an alkali is dissolved in water solutions that are neither acidic nor alkaline are neutral Pure water is neutral, and so is petrol.

Litmus Litmus indicator solution turns red in acidic solutions and blue in alkaline solutions. Acids turn blue litmus paper red. Difference between blue and red litmus paper. Difference between Solubility and Miscibility. Difference between Diffusion and Effusion. Difference between Absorption and Adsorption. Difference between Physical Adsorption and Chemical Adsorption. Difference between Physical and Chemical change. Difference between Diffusion and Osmosis. Difference between Dissolution and Solubility.

Difference between Dissolution and Dissociation. Difference between Dissolution and Disintegration. Labels: Difference between. The colour changes of universal indicator correspond to the colours on the pH scale. It turns red, orange or yellow in acids, green in neutral solutions and blue or purple in alkalis.

The pH scale is used alongside universal indicator to determine the strength of an acid or alkali. It is numbered from 0 to 14, with each number associated with a particular colour. For example, if a solution turns light yellow, you know from checking the scale that it has a pH of between 3 and 4 and is mildly acidic.