You really don't have to use either of them, as nature provides us with pH indicators in the form of plant pigments known as antocyanines, which change color over different pH ranges, depending on source. On this page, I will present the indicators derived from red cabbage and red beet.
www.erowid.org/archive/rhodium/chemistry/equipment/ph-i... www.erowid.org/archive/rhodium/chemistry/equipment/ph-indicator.html
Chemists choose selective natural indicators (such as litmus) to indicate specific pH levels based on their color changes. ... Here are few examples of natural pH indicators:- ... Ingrid Jansons, Natural pH Indicators:  What are they and how do they work?, Chapter 8: Acids and Bases, Nelson Science 10, 2001.
www.pharmainfo.net/reviews/natural-ph-indicators-review www.pharmainfo.net/reviews/natural-ph-indicators-review
A pH indicator is a chemical compound that is added in small amounts to a solution so that the pH (acidity or alkalinity) of the solution can be determined easily.
www.spiritus-temporis.com/ph-indicator/natural-ph-indic... www.spiritus-temporis.com/ph-indicator/natural-ph-indicators.html
There are many common household products and garden plants that can be used as pH indicators. Most plants contain pH sensitive anthocyanins, so experiment with ... Red cabbage juice can be used to test the pH of common household chemicals. From left to right, the colors result from lemon juice, natural red cabbage juice,
chemistry.about.com/cs/acidsandbases/a/aa060703a.htm
What are some common acid-base indicators?; Several acid-base indicators are listed below, some more than once if they can be used over multiple pH ranges. Quantity of indicator in aqueous (aq.) or alcohol (alc.) solution is specified. ... Home and Garden pH Indicators...
chemistry.about.com/library/weekly/aa112201a.htm
A visual acid-base indicator is just a weak acid with differently colored acid and conjugate base forms. Flower and leaf pigments often fit this description. For example, take rose petals and crush them with alcohol; you have an acid/base i...
http://antoine.frostburg.edu/chem/senese/101/acidbase/f...
G. Withers (PDF File)
NATURAL INDICATORS: HOW DO THEY WORK? By Gayathri Withers, GIPSE, 2001; Unit Objective: Describe characteristics and common uses of acids and bases; PA STATE SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY STANDARDS: 3.4.10.A Explain concepts about the structure and properties of matter. All pH indicators, such as litmus paper,
www.cmu.edu/gipse/materials/pdf-2001/natural_ph_indicat... www.cmu.edu/gipse/materials/pdf-2001/natural_ph_indicators.pdf
name Frederick C. status student age 13 Question - Besides red cabbage juice, tea and hibiscus flowers, are there any more natural pH indicators? If so, what are the active ingredients and what colours do they produce at different pH's?
www.newton.dep.anl.gov/askasci/chem03/chem03073.htm
Small changes of H+ concentration have less affect on sugars and carbohydrates because they seldom have a natural charge. ... The color of red cabbage or litmus or the petals on hydrangea indicates the pH. They are pH indicators. Litmus is red in acid and blue in alkaline solutions. A wonderful thing about litmus is that it...
www.disknet.com/indiana_biolab/kids104.htm
Acids and bases: Frequestly asked questions from General Chemistry Online!, Frostburg State University including What household substances can be used as acid/base indicators? and What are some natural acid/base indicators?
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