Advantages:
Can give a quick look at an item and show the pH level without looking at any technology.
Red cabbage juice changes color in the presence of an acid or a base and can be easily made at home.
Litmus paper is handy as a general acid-base indicator
Easy and fast, possibly takes maybe 30-60 seconds.
Disadvantages:
Not nearly as accurate as a pH level sensor.
Litmus paper cannot be used to determine the pH value.
The strength of the acidity or the basicity also cannot be determined using litmus papers.
Many common household solutions contain acids and bases. Acid-base indicators, such as litmus and red cabbage juice, turn different colors in acidic and basic solutions. They can, therefore, be used to show if a solution is acidic or basic. An acid turns blue litmus paper red, and a base turns red litmus paper blue. The acidity of a solution ' can be expressed using the pH scale. Acidic solutions have pH values less than 7, basic solutions have pH values greater than 7, and neutral solutions have a pH value equal to 7.
Find Chemistry Study Tips at UIC Academic Center for Excellence.