Spicy Indicator: Use turmeric to test for bases in your home

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This activity uses turmeric, a common spice in curry, as an indicator for acidity and basicity. Turmeric is yellow in acid and neutral substances, but turns bright red with bases. Learners can use their indicator to test household chemicals and determine which are basic. This activity requires adult supervision since it uses isopropyl alcohol, also known as rubbing alcohol. This activity (located on page 2 of the PDF) is one of three activities in the Take Home guide for the Everyday Chemistry unit in OMSI's Chemistry Lab. Included in the PDF are two additional activities: Iron in Cereal and Mystery Writing.

Quick Guide

Preparation Time:
5 to 10 minutes
Learning Time:
10 to 30 minutes
Estimated Materials Cost:
$1 - $5 per student
Age Range:
Ages 11 - 14
Resource Types:
Activity, Experiment/Lab Activity
Language:
English

Materials List (per student)

  • ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
  • ¼ cup isopropyl alcohol (rubbing alcohol)
  • one small jar with a tight-fitting lid
  • one eyedropper or small spoon
  • several small bowls or cups
  • household chemicals to test (soap, vinegar, baking soda, etc.)

Keywords

Subjects

  • Physical Sciences
    • Chemistry
      • Acids and Bases

Informal Categories

  • Food and Cooking

Audience

To use this activity, learners need to:

  • see
  • see color
  • touch

Learning styles supported:

  • Involves hands-on or lab activities

Other

This resource is part of:

Access Rights:

  • Free access

By:

Rights:

Funding Source:

  • National Science Foundation