Why is that phenothalein have no effect on litmus paper despite the fact that it is basic in nature?
1 Answer
Jun 4, 2018
Well, it would if you went crazy with it...
...but in laboratory procedures, you are told to use 1 or 2 drops... and thus it does not interfere with the acidity or basicity of the solution it is in.
Clearly, putting only 1 or 2 drops gives phenolphthalein concentrations that are hardly present. Thus, we do not have to worry about interfering with the true pH of the solution.
