Acids, Bases, and the Chemistry of Taste

[AngelShare]

"Acids, Bases, and the Chemistry of Taste"

I'm using a red cabbage water indicator to test some substances and, so far, I've done Isopropyl alcohol and Saline solution. Neither substance caused any change in the color of the indicator though which I can't figure out... I'm to do a taste test as well but I'm not to taste the alcohol. Wouldn't that imply that it's dangerous? That, to me, says acid but nothing... Is there anything wrong?

As for the taste test, I did as I was told and tested all four areas of my tongue but I can taste the saline solution on each one. Is that normal/right?

 

[Hootenanny]

Alcohol? It would appear that you are underage, perhaps this is the reason you cannot taste the alcohol? Also, I have never hear of an acidic alcohol

~H

 

[dav2008]

Plus this particular alcohol is more toxic than the ethanol that's found in alcoholic beverages.

In the liver, Isopropyl alcohol is broken down into acetone, which isn't the best thing to have in your system.

As for the second question, I'm not an expert on the tongue but as far as I understand all parts of your tongue have the capability of detecting all tastes; it's just that there are some slight variations in the different sections of the tongue.