Measuring pH - Indicators
Indicators are water-soluble dyes that have different colours in solutions
of different pH. They may be used to indicate the approximate pH of a
solution or reveal pH change.
Measuring pH — pH meters
A pH meter consists of three main parts: a pair of electrodes that dip into
the solution being measured; an electronic circuit; and a readout device.
The electrode pair develops a small voltage, whose magnitude depends
on the solution's aqueous hydrogen ion concentration. The electronic
circuit amplifies this voltage sufficiently to drive the readout device. On a
digital pH meter, the pH is displayed directly. On an analogue pH meter,
the pH is shown by a pointer moving across a scale. pH meters must be
calibrated periodically: the calibration is checked by immersing the
electrode in solutions of known pH, spread 12.11
pH values and aqueous hydrogen lon concentrations
Worked example on ealeulating pH fromm [H,0"]
‘Question: The aqueous hydrogen ion concentration in human blood is
4 10-'moldar?. What is the pH of burnan blood?
The juice of @ red cabbage can act as
san indicator. Tha solutions have (from
Left oh BM values OF. 47,1,
aad 13,
Decimal places
The number of decimal places in a pH
value is equal to the number of
significant figures given in the
concentration dats.
The pH meter
‘The hydrogen electrode (see soction 25.1) has an £* of
zero under standard conditions, ie. 1 mal dm”? solutions,
100 kPa pressure and 298 K temparaturo. Its emf. actually
depends on concentration of hydrogen ions in which it is
immersed
BeE*+ Se In [Et*(aq))
This isan exaniple of a more general expression called
tha Nernst equation (see the box “The effect of
‘concentration on E* values: the Nernst equation’, which
links coll e.tn.f. with concentration of tons tn solution).
For the hydrogen electrode &* = O and as 2 is the
number of eloctrans transferred in the cell reaction:
H*(aq) +e" —> AAs)
2= Tin this casa
and B= 0.026 In [H*(aq)}
To convert In into log we multiply by 2.303 (see section 6.3);
produces explosive hydrogen gas. Another, more
Convenient, electrode system whose potential depends on
the pH is the glass electrode, This consists of a platinum
wire sealed into a very thin-walled glass tube which
contains a buffer solution (a solution of fixed hydrogen
ion concentration),
‘The cunt, of this electrode depends on the pkt of the
solution in which it is placed. This electrode coupled with
a reference electrode comprises a pH electrode, The
voltage difference is ineasured on a high resistance
voltmeter calibrated directly in pH units. The main
drawback is that the thin wall of the glass electrode is
rather delicate.
Relerence
electrode
Platinum
wire
Idepends on concentration of kivdrogen ions in which it is
‘immersed:
ban? + 2228 ne (aqy)
This is an exaitipla of a moore general expression called
the Nernst equation (soe the box "The afloct of
concentration on E* values: the Nernst equation’, which:
Links cell 4. with concentration of fons in solution).
For the hydrogen eloctrode £* = 0 and as is the
numbor of electrons transferred in the cell reaction:
H*{aq) +e" —* iH{a)
#= inthis case
and E= 00026 In(H*(aq)]
To convert In into log we multiply by 2.303 (see section 6.5):
E= 0.026 x 2.303 In [H*(aq)}
E= ~0.059 pH.
So we ean use the hydrogen electrode to measure pH.
Hoveewer, a hydrogen electrode is both cumbersome and
in some situations potentially dangerous because it
Concentration of
hydrogen (H ) ions
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wire sealed into a very thin-walled glass tube which
‘contains a buffer solution (a solution of fixed hydrogen
jon concentration).
‘The ein-f, of this electrode depends on the pH of the
solution in which itis placed, This electrode coupled with
‘reference electrode comprises a pH electrode. The
voltage difference is measured on a high resistance
voltmeter calibrated directly in pH units. The main
drawback is that the thin wall of the glass electrode is
rather delicate.