please help me!!! (1 Viewer)

[haloeshorns]

uh. im doing this assignment and it says that antiseptic wipes have a pH range of 5.4 - 5.6. but i have no idea how that works! how can something have a range of pH? does that mean that any given sample could have a pH of 5.45 or 5.53, etc, etc, etc? or does it mean something more sneaky and complicated?! but more importantly how do i test the pH of something with a pH range using indicators? *snif* i think im gonna cry! anywayz any help would be much appreciated!!!

 

[tennille]

I think it depends on what antiseptic wipes they are. It doesn't mean that they actually have a pH of 5.4-5.6. One brand might be 5.4, while another might be 5.5, etc. That's what I think anyway.

 

[sabrinalc]

i agree with tenille
but itz sucha a tiny difference between 5.4-5.6 that surely its nota huge prob??
it could only be a SLIGHT colour change of the indicator, perhaps hardly noticaable.
what does the Question ask xactly??

 

[Undermyskin]

There's no need to get worried. I think you've learnt about acidity and basicity of substances so indisputably substances can have acid or basic characteristics. I'm not so sure about what you're really asking and why you're get messed up.

In minute details, substances when mass-produced cannot confirm a overall similar composition to the others. At least there's a 'range' of 0.1 to 0.5% difference between each individual products. (but not for chemicals like 1.0M HCl or so, I'm talking about industrial/everyday products like medicine, nail polish removers and so on) Noone can insist on the 100% uniform of their products, I suppose. Thus, you don't have to worry about the 'range'. They do vary in nature.

When using indicators, according to Conquering Chem, we can get a pH up to +- 1 different from the exact one. Thus, we should give the results in a range. It's not compulsory to be 100% correct as it's a range. Like in maths, now you get the upper limit and the lower limit of your range and everything is totally fine.

 

[twilight1412]

^ rofl great answer