What Color Would a Tester PH Paper Turn if Is Dipped in Water?

You can test whether your drinking water is acidic or basic using litmus paper.
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Tester pH paper, known as litmus paper, is a special scientific tool you can use to test whether a liquid is an acid or a base. The paper is covered in dyes that interact with the liquid you're testing and change color. The litmus paper can turn varying shades of red or blue depending on whether the item in question, such as a glass of water, is acidic or basic.

1 Litmus Paper and Water

Litmus paper generally comes in two colors, red and blue. If you dip both the red and the blue litmus paper in water and their colors don't change, the water in question is neutral. However, if you dip blue litmus paper in the water and it turns a pink or red hue, the water you are testing is acidic. On the other hand, if you dip red litmus paper in water and it turns a shade of blue, you can conclude that the water is basic.

Rosemary Peters holds a Bachelor of Science in electrical engineering and a Master of Science in science communication. She has worked on editorial and design content across several publications, including "The Beacon" and "International Innovation." She has also spent time working in the Science radio unit at the BBC.

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