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By
Anne Marie Helmenstine, Ph.D.
Anne Marie Helmenstine, Ph.D.
Chemistry Expert
- Ph.D., Biomedical Sciences, University of Tennessee at Knoxville
- B.A., Physics and Mathematics, Hastings College
Dr. Helmenstine holds a Ph.D. in biomedical sciences and is a science writer, educator, and consultant. She has taught science courses at the high school, college, and graduate levels.
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Updated on November 04, 2019
An acid-base indicator is a weak acid or a weak base. The undissociated form of the indicator is a different color than the iogenic form of the indicator. An Indicator does not change color from pure acid to pure alkaline at specific hydrogen ion concentration, but rather, color change occurs over a range of hydrogen ion concentrations. This range is termed the color change interval. It is expressed as a pH range.
How Indicators Are Used
Weak acids are titrated in the presence of indicators which change under slightly alkaline conditions. Weak bases should be titrated in the presence of indicators which change under slightly acidic conditions.
Common Acid-Base Indicators
Several acid-base indicators are listed below, some more than once if they can be used over multiple pH ranges. The quantity of indicator in aqueous (aq.) or alcohol (alc.) solution is specified. Tried-and-true indicators include thymol blue, tropeolin OO, methyl yellow, methyl orange, bromphenol blue, bromcresol green, methyl red, bromthymol blue, phenol red, neutral red, phenolphthalein, thymolphthalein, alizarin yellow, tropeolin O, nitramine, and trinitrobenzoic acid. Data in this table are for sodium salts of thymol blue, bromphenol blue, tetrabromphenol blue, bromcresol green, methyl red, bromthymol blue, phenol red, and cresol red.
Primary References
Lange's Handbook of Chemistry, 8th Edition, Handbook Publishers Inc., 1952.
Volumetric Analysis, Kolthoff & Stenge, Interscience Publishers, Inc., New York, 1942 and 1947.
Table of Common Acid-Base Indicators
| Indicator | pH Range | Quantity per 10 ml | Acid | Base |
| Thymol Blue | 1.2-2.8 | 1-2 drops 0.1% soln. in aq. | red | yellow |
| Pentamethoxy red | 1.2-2.3 | 1 drop 0.1% soln. in 70% alc. | red-violet | colorless |
| Tropeolin OO | 1.3-3.2 | 1 drop 1% aq. soln. | red | yellow |
| 2,4-Dinitrophenol | 2.4-4.0 | 1-2 drops 0.1% soln. in 50% alc. | colorless | yellow |
| Methyl yellow | 2.9-4.0 | 1 drop 0.1% soln. in 90% alc. | red | yellow |
| Methyl orange | 3.1-4.4 | 1 drop 0.1% aq. soln. | red | orange |
| Bromphenol blue | 3.0-4.6 | 1 drop 0.1% aq. soln. | yellow | blue-violet |
| Tetrabromphenol blue | 3.0-4.6 | 1 drop 0.1% aq. soln. | yellow | blue |
| Alizarin sodium sulfonate | 3.7-5.2 | 1 drop 0.1% aq. soln. | yellow | violet |
| α-Naphthyl red | 3.7-5.0 | 1 drop 0.1% soln. in 70% alc. | red | yellow |
| p-Ethoxychrysoidine | 3.5-5.5 | 1 drop 0.1% aq. soln. | red | yellow |
| Bromcresol green | 4.0-5.6 | 1 drop 0.1% aq. soln. | yellow | blue |
| Methyl red | 4.4-6.2 | 1 drop 0.1% aq. soln. | red | yellow |
| Bromcresol purple | 5.2-6.8 | 1 drop 0.1% aq. soln. | yellow | purple |
| Chlorphenol red | 5.4-6.8 | 1 drop 0.1% aq. soln. | yellow | red |
| Bromphenol blue | 6.2-7.6 | 1 drop 0.1% aq. soln. | yellow | blue |
| p-Nitrophenol | 5.0-7.0 | 1-5 drops 0.1% aq. soln. | colorless | yellow |
| Azolitmin | 5.0-8.0 | 5 drops 0.5% aq. soln. | red | blue |
| Phenol red | 6.4-8.0 | 1 drop 0.1% aq. soln. | yellow | red |
| Neutral red | 6.8-8.0 | 1 drop 0.1% soln. in 70% alc. | red | yellow |
| Rosolic acid | 6.8-8.0 | 1 drop 0.1% soln. in 90% alc. | yellow | red |
| Cresol red | 7.2-8.8 | 1 drop 0.1% aq. soln. | yellow | red |
| α-Naphtholphthalein | 7.3-8.7 | 1-5 drops 0.1% soln. in 70% alc. | rose | green |
| Tropeolin OOO | 7.6-8.9 | 1 drop 0.1% aq. soln. | yellow | rose-red |
| Thymol blue | 8.0-9.6 | 1-5 drops 0.1% aq. soln. | yellow | blue |
| Phenolphthalein | 8.0-10.0 | 1-5 drops 0.1% soln. in 70% alc. | colorless | red |
| α-Naphtholbenzein | 9.0-11.0 | 1-5 drops 0.1% soln. in 90% alc. | yellow | blue |
| Thymolphthalein | 9.4-10.6 | 1 drop 0.1% soln. in 90% alc. | colorless | blue |
| Nile blue | 10.1-11.1 | 1 drop 0.1% aq. soln. | blue | red |
| Alizarin yellow | 10.0-12.0 | 1 drop 0.1% aq. soln. | yellow | lilac |
| Salicyl yellow | 10.0-12.0 | 1-5 drops 0.1% soln. in 90% alc. | yellow | orange-brown |
| Diazo violet | 10.1-12.0 | 1 drop 0.1% aq. soln. | yellow | violet |
| Tropeolin O | 11.0-13.0 | 1 drop 0.1% aq. soln. | yellow | orange-brown |
| Nitramine | 11.0-13.0 | 1-2 drops 0.1% soln in 70% alc. | colorless | orange-brown |
| Poirrier's blue | 11.0-13.0 | 1 drop 0.1% aq. soln. | blue | violet-pink |
| Trinitrobenzoic acid | 12.0-13.4 | 1 drop 0.1% aq. soln. | colorless | orange-red |
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Your Citation
Helmenstine, Anne Marie, Ph.D. "List of Acid-Base Indicators." ThoughtCo, Apr. 5, 2023, thoughtco.com/acid-base-indicators-overview-603659.Helmenstine, Anne Marie, Ph.D. (2023, April 5). List of Acid-Base Indicators. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/acid-base-indicators-overview-603659Helmenstine, Anne Marie, Ph.D. "List of Acid-Base Indicators." ThoughtCo. https://www.thoughtco.com/acid-base-indicators-overview-603659 (accessed September 18, 2024).
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