Writes Ronan K. (3rds)
Walking into the Chemistry lab, I could see that Mr Vernice had prepared a colourful solution, which hinted at our experiment and our mission: to see what happens when you mix a strong acid with a strong alkali!
The Setup
We started with two colourless liquids, called sodium hydroxide (the alkali) and hydrochloric acid (the acid), in 10cm3 and 20cm3 beakers. They are easy to mix up, and my partner and I did exactly what we did not want to! Though we were off to a rough start, we persevered and followed the method. To see what was happening, we added a few drops of universal indicator solution. The solution instantly turned a deep royal purple, telling us we had a strong alkali.
The Drop-by-Drop Challenge
This was the most heart-stopping part, where we had to add the acid to our alkali. My partner and I took it in turns and added the acid drop by drop. The liquid went from purple to blue to teal, and after one careful drop, it suddenly turned green: pH7! This is called neutralisation. It was a neutral solution – the same as water!
Overall
In the end, we learned that Chemistry is about precision, observations and knowledge, even if you were off to a rough start. We had a lot of fun!
Thank you, Mr Vernice! We hope you enjoy this article!
