Question

Suppose that the student working besides you on the laboratory bench spills one of the liquids she is using in this experiment. - What reagent could you use to determine whether the spilled liquid is 0.10M NaOH? Briefly explain what you would observe using this reagent if the liquid were 0.10M NaOH.

Answer 1

How about HCl? The strong acid neutralizes the strong base and forms a salt and water.\[HCl + NaOH \rightarrow NaCl + H_2 O\]

Answer 2

In my chem lab the neutralizer for basic spills is boric acid, H3BO3

Answer 3

Rogue and Jetzt can you guys elaborate more..like why you used that reagent and what things would be observable

Answer 4

Also if the test was negative...what reagent could you use to determine whether the spilled liquid is 0.050M FeCl3 and not 0.10M NaOH? What would you observe if you added this reagent to 0.050M FeCl3?

Answer 5

The easy answer is foam. for example, take regular white vinegar, an acid, and add it to a solution of baking soda, a base. the reaction creats foam, in the form of hydrogen bubbles. So if the solution being neutralized is basic, adding an acid to it will bring about a foaming visual cue. If however the material is not basic, but ferric in nature, a magnet may be more useful.