Three liquids are given to you. One is hydrochloric acid, another is sodium hydroxide and third is a sugar solution. How will you identify them? You have only turmeric indicator.
Answer:
Following steps are taken to test the given liquids:
- Place a drop of each liquid on turmeric indicator. The solution which changes the colour of the indicator to red is basic in nature, i.e., it is sodium hydroxide.
- Now put a drop of sodium hydroxide on the other two liquids separately to obtain two mixtures.
- One by one place the drop of each mixture on turmeric indicator. The mixture that changes the colour of indicator red contains neutral sugar solution. While the mixture which does not show any colour change in indicator contains hydrochloric acid which was neutralised on addition of sodium hydroxide.