What is the difference between universal indicator and litmus paper

Litmus Litmus indicator solution turns red in acidic solutions and blue in alkaline solutions. Acids turn blue litmus paper red. Alkalis turn red litmus paper blue. Acidic solution. Stays red. Turns red. Neutral solution. Stays blue. Alkaline solution. Turns blue. Because universal indicator can turn a range of different colours, it is helpful in specifying the strength of an acid or alkali.

As a result, it gives a more precise result than litmus paper, which only tells you if a solution is an acid or alkali. The colour changes of universal indicator correspond to the colours on the pH scale.

It turns red, orange or yellow in acids, green in neutral solutions and blue or purple in alkalis. The pH scale is used alongside universal indicator to determine the strength of an acid or alkali. Normally, pH papers are immersed in solutions to see the color change or a drop of the solution can be placed on the pH strip.

When the color change occurs, the color is compared with the reference scale. With this, one can determine the pH of a particular solution. Figure A pH paper roll. The above image shows a typical pH paper roll. The paper strip is yellow colored and it can change in to different colors in the presence of solutions that range from pH 1 to The color change occurs from red to blue. The red color is given by highly acidic solutions and blue color is given by highly basic solutions.

But if the color is changed to a light green, then the color should be compared with the reference scale. According to the reference given, a green color indicates a basic solution. But if there is no color change, then the solution is neutral and the pH is 7.

As the pH paper is saturated with a pH indicator, the color change is given immediately. When a piece of pH paper is dipped in a solution, the chemical species in the paper react with the hydronium ions or else OH — ions resulting in a change of the color of that pH indicator present in the pH paper. A litmus paper is an indicator that is used to determine the acidity or the basicity of a solution. The paper used to make the litmus paper is free of contaminants that can cause color changes due to the pH of the solution.

The primary raw material that is used in production of litmus is Lichen.