- #1
Da Apprentice
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When Metals (specifically Magnesium) oxidise within water would this increase or decrease the accidity of the water around it?
Metal oxides changeing acidity
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In summary, the conversation discusses the effects of magnesium oxidation in water on the acidity of the surrounding water. It is determined that the reaction produces magnesium hydroxide, which increases the concentration of hydroxide ions and makes the water more basic. The use of a pH meter is suggested for more accurate readings, and a pool pH meter may be suitable for the experiment if it covers the necessary pH range. It is also mentioned that pH cannot be determined precisely through titration using an indicator.
- #2
Fewmet
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Da Apprentice said:
Here are two (unbalanced) reactions:
CaO + H2O ---> Ca(OH)2
Na2O + H2O ---> NaOH
Does that make the answer evident?
(OK: the first one is balanced, but only by accident.)
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- #3
Da Apprentice
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- #4
Fewmet
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Da Apprentice said:
Yes: Magnesium hydroxide will dissolve in water to increase the [OH-], and that is one of the definitions of a base.
I am more used to using a pH meter than the test strips (nor can I read the writing on the strips). What was the experiments and what ere the results?
- #5
Da Apprentice
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Fewmet said:
I hope that's easier to see. - - The experiment was run to test/prove that magnesium used in a Daniell Cell was also reacting with the magnesium nitrate used as one of the electolytes. On the graph of voltage recorded against temperature it was found that the results from about 75 degrease Celecius upwards the voltage was very inconsistant, yet from below 75 degrease the voltage (aproximatley) decrease uniformely. We thought this to be due to the magnesium forming bubbles around itself because it was reacitng with the magnesium nitrate.
The experiment was sugested to us by our teacher he said we should test the PH levels of magnesium within heated water and see if the PH levels change because when a metal oxidises it should change the PH levels of the surrounding water.
The results arn't entirely clear because as you can see it's hard to see much of a change at all in the colour of the paper, but when the magnesium and water are heated the paper does appear to get darker - suggesting that the water became more acidic, the opposite of what should thoretically happen.
I don't think the school has any PH metres which sucks. We havn't actually completed the experiment yet we just ran this initial test to see if a result could be achieved and i can't run another test for a while because it's currently holidays.
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- #6
Da Apprentice
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Sorry i just checked on the internet and i actully copied something down wrong, turns out the darker the colour the closer to 14 it becomes so the result actually shows the experiment getting more basic, which makes sense.
EDIT: How does a PH metre work, does this give you an actual reading?
EDIT: How does a PH metre work, does this give you an actual reading?
- #7
Borek
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- #8
Da Apprentice
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Thanks Borek and Fewmet for the responses.
Just wondering I was thinking of borrowing a PH metre from one of my freinds who owns a pool, do you think this would be suitable to use in a lab experiment like the one mentioned above?
Just wondering I was thinking of borrowing a PH metre from one of my freinds who owns a pool, do you think this would be suitable to use in a lab experiment like the one mentioned above?
- #9
Fewmet
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I've never used a pH meter for a pool. It might not cover as broad a range of pH as you need, but you can check thou out online if you know the manufaturer.
You could also find pH precisely with a titration using an indicator.
You could also find pH precisely with a titration using an indicator.
- #10
Borek
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Fewmet said:
No, you can't. Titration can be used to determine amount of acid, but not pH.
- #11
Fewmet
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Borek said:
Of course...thanks for catching that.
- #12
Da Apprentice
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Yeah, I think it'll work according to the PH paper the levels didn''t change much and I think I'm only looking at a range from about 6-8.
1. How do metal oxides change acidity?
Metal oxides can change acidity by either increasing or decreasing the concentration of hydrogen ions (H+) in a solution. This is because metal oxides are amphoteric, meaning they can act as both an acid and a base.
2. Which metal oxides increase acidity?
Metal oxides that are acidic in nature, such as aluminum oxide and chromium oxide, can increase acidity by releasing hydrogen ions (H+) into a solution.
3. Which metal oxides decrease acidity?
Metal oxides that are basic in nature, such as magnesium oxide and calcium oxide, can decrease acidity by accepting hydrogen ions (H+) from a solution.
4. How do metal oxides affect the pH of a solution?
Metal oxides can affect the pH of a solution by either increasing or decreasing it, depending on their nature. Acidic metal oxides will lower the pH, while basic metal oxides will raise the pH.
5. Can metal oxides neutralize acidic or basic solutions?
Yes, metal oxides can neutralize acidic or basic solutions by acting as a base or an acid, respectively. This is known as an acid-base reaction, where the metal oxide and the acidic or basic solution react to form a salt and water.
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