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Chemistry and Chemists № 2 2024

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Plants as acid-base indicators - part 25, 26


Volodymyr M. Viter


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Prunus avium (black berries of sweet cherry), water, nitric acid and ammonia - part 25
Prunus avium (черные ягоды черешни), вода, азотная кислота и аммиак - часть 25
Prunus avium (sweet cherry) is a flowering fruit tree of the Plum genus in the Rosaceae family, known to humans since ancient times. The habitat of Prunus avium covers vast areas in Europe, Asia, and Africa. Prunus avium is widely known for the delicious taste of its berries. The ripe fruits of Prunus avium come in different colours, including red, black, and yellow. The juice of the black fruits was used for the experiment. In this case, the fruits turned out to be small and tasteless, but this does not matter for our experiment.

Prunus avium (black berries of sweet cherry), water, nitric acid and ammonia


The idea was simple: add sweet cherry juice to two glasses of water. The first glass contains distilled water, and the second contains tap water. The pH of distilled water is slightly below 7 (a slightly acidic solution) because carbon dioxide is dissolved in the water. However, the pH of tap water is higher than 7 (a weakly alkaline solution) due to the hydrolysis of dissolved salts. If I am lucky, the sweet cherry juice will turn different colours in the two glasses of water.

So, I poured tap water into the first glass and distilled water into the second. Then, I added a few drops of juice of sweet cherry to each glass and stirred. In the first glass, the solution turned pink, and in the second, it turned orange.

The main objective of the experiment was completed, but I decided to continue. I dripped a few drops of nitric acid into the second glass and stirred. The solution turned red-orange. In addition to the change in shade, the intensity of the colour increased. Further addition of the acid did not change the colour. After that, I added a concentrated ammonia solution drop by drop. The solution on top turned dark purple. I mixed the content of the beaker. The entire solution turned dark purple (almost black). To make the colour of the liquid more visible, I placed a small glass of distilled water next to it and added the dark purple liquid to the water.

Finally, I added nitric acid to both glasses with the purple solution. The liquid turned red-orange.


Prunus avium (черные ягоды черешни), вода, азотная кислота и аммиак - часть 25
Prunus avium (черешня) - цветущее фруктовое дерево рода Слива семейства Розовые, известное человеку с древнейших времен. Ареал черешни занимает обширные территории Европы, Азии и Африки. Широко известна из-за деликатесного вкуса ягод. Спелые плоды черешни бывают разных цветов - красного, черного, желтого. Для эксперимента был использован сок черных плодов черешни. В конкретном случае плоды оказались мелкими и невкусными, но для нашего эксперимента это не имеет значения.

Prunus avium (black berries of sweet cherry), water, nitric acid and ammonia


Идея была простой: добавить сок черешни в два стакана с водой. В первом стакане находится дистиллированная вода, а во втором - водопроводная вода. рН дистиллированной воды чуть ниже 7 (слабокислый раствор), за счет того, что в воде растворен углекислый газ. Зато рН водопроводной воды выше 7 (слабощелочной раствор) в результате гидролиза растворенных солей. Если повезет, сок черешни приобретет разную окраску в двух стаканах с водой.

Итак, в первый стакан я налил водопроводную воду, во второй - дистиллированную воду. В каждый стакан добавил по несколько капель сока черешни, перемешал. В первом стакане раствор стал розовым, во втором - оранжевым.

Основная задача эксперимента выполнена, но я решил продолжить. Во второй стакан добавил несколько капель азотной кислоты, перемешал. Раствор стал красно-оранжевым. Кроме изменения оттенка усилилась интенсивность окраски. Дальнейшее добавление кислоты не привело к изменению окраски. После этого добавил по каплям концентрированный раствор аммиака. Раствор сверху стал темно-фиолетовым. Перемешал. Весь раствор в стакане стал темно-фиолетовым (почти черным). Чтобы цвет жидкости стал лучше различим, приставил рядом маленький стаканчик с дистиллированной водой и добавил к ней темно-фиолетовую жидкость.

Наконец, добавил азотную кислоту в оба стакана с фиолетовым раствором. Жидкость стала красно-оранжевой.


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Prunus avium (black berries of sweet cherry), water, nitric acid and ammonia
Prunus avium (black berries of sweet cherry), water, nitric acid and ammonia

Prunus avium (black berries of sweet cherry), water, nitric acid and ammonia

Prunus avium (black berries of sweet cherry), water, nitric acid and ammonia

Prunus avium (black berries of sweet cherry), water, nitric acid and ammonia

Prunus avium (black berries of sweet cherry), water, nitric acid and ammonia

Prunus avium (black berries of sweet cherry), water, nitric acid and ammonia

Prunus avium (black berries of sweet cherry), water, nitric acid and ammonia

Prunus avium (black berries of sweet cherry), water, nitric acid and ammonia

Prunus avium (black berries of sweet cherry), water, nitric acid and ammonia

Prunus avium (black berries of sweet cherry), water, nitric acid and ammonia

Prunus avium (black berries of sweet cherry), water, nitric acid and ammonia

Prunus avium (black berries of sweet cherry), water, nitric acid and ammonia

Prunus avium (black berries of sweet cherry), water, nitric acid and ammonia

Prunus avium (black berries of sweet cherry), water, nitric acid and ammonia

Prunus avium (black berries of sweet cherry), water, nitric acid and ammonia

Prunus avium (black berries of sweet cherry), water, nitric acid and ammonia

Prunus avium (black berries of sweet cherry), water, nitric acid and ammonia

Prunus avium (black berries of sweet cherry), water, nitric acid and ammonia

Prunus avium (black berries of sweet cherry), water, nitric acid and ammonia

Prunus avium (black berries of sweet cherry), water, nitric acid and ammonia

Prunus avium (black berries of sweet cherry), water, nitric acid and ammonia

Prunus avium (black berries of sweet cherry), water, nitric acid and ammonia

Prunus avium (black berries of sweet cherry), water, nitric acid and ammonia

Prunus avium (black berries of sweet cherry), water, nitric acid and ammonia

Prunus avium (black berries of sweet cherry), water, nitric acid and ammonia

Prunus avium (black berries of sweet cherry), water, nitric acid and ammonia

Prunus avium (black berries of sweet cherry), water, nitric acid and ammonia

Prunus avium (black berries of sweet cherry), water, nitric acid and ammonia




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In addition to Prunus avium (sweet cherry), a related fruit plant with fruits of similar appearance is common in our country: Prunus cerasus (sour cherry, tart cherry). Like Prunus avium, this plant belongs to the Prunus subg. Cerasus of the Plum genus. Prunus cerasus is a tree and shrub whose fruits we call "cherries."


Cherry, water, nitric acid and ammonia
Cherry, water, nitric acid and ammonia

Although the fruit of Prunus cerasus is similar in appearance to that of Prunus avium, they are very different in taste. The latter fruit is sweet and pleasant, while the former is predominantly sour; sometimes the strong sour taste of these fruits is unbearable. Therefore, Prunus avium fruits are mostly eaten raw, while Prunus cerasus fruits are often used to make jam and drinks. This difference in taste is reflected in the English names of the plants: "sweet cherry" vs. "sour cherry."

Below, for brevity, we will call the fruits of Prunus cerasus "cherry".

I decided to conduct an experiment with cherry juice similar to that described in the previous part of the article. I poured tap water into the first glass and distilled water into the second, then added cherry juice to both glasses. The water in the first glass turned pink, and the water in the second glass turned orange. In the video, the colour difference is noticeable, but during direct observation, distinguishing the colours was difficult.

I added nitric acid to the first glass and stirred. The solution turned orange.

I added a concentrated ammonia solution to the second glass and stirred. The liquid turned purple, then grey.

Next, I added ammonia to the first glass. The solution first turned purple, then grey.

I added excess nitric acid to both glasses. The solution turned orange (going through intermediate colours). Finally, I added ammonia to the second glass again; the liquid turned purple.

Thus, excess acid led to an orange colour of the solution, while the addition of ammonia caused the solution to first turn violet and then grey.


Вишня, вода, азотная кислота и аммиак - часть 26
Кроме черешни (Prunus avium, sweet cherry) у нас распространено родственное фруктовое растение со схожими по виду плодами. Это вишня обыкновенная (Prunus cerasus, sour cherry, tart cherry). Как и черешня, данное растение относится к подроду Вишня (Prunus subg. Cerasus) рода Слива. Prunus cerasus представляет собой деревья и кустарники, плоды которых у нас называют "вишнями".


Cherry, water, nitric acid and ammonia
Cherry, water, nitric acid and ammonia

Хотя плоды вишни обыкновенной (Prunus cerasus) похожи на плоды черешни (Prunus avium) по внешнему виду, они сильно отличаются по вкусу. Если плоды черешни - сладкие и приятные на вкус, то плоды вишни преимущественно кислые, иногда кислый вкус вишен просто невыносим. Поэтому плоды черешни едят в основном сырыми, а плоды вишни чаще используют для приготовления варенья и напитков. Разница во вкусе отражена в английском названии растений "sweet cherry" vs. "sour cherry".

Решил провести с соком плодов вишен эксперимент аналогичный описанному в предыдущей части статьи. В первый стакан налил водопроводную воду, во второй - дистиллированную. В оба стакана добавил сок плодов вишни. Вода в первом стакане стала розовой, во втором - оранжевой. На видео различие окраски заметно хорошо, но при прямом наблюдении разницу в цвете я различил с трудом.

Добавил в первый стакан азотную кислоту, перемешал. Раствор стал оранжевым.

Во второй стакан добавил концентрированный раствор аммиака, перемешал. Жидкость стала фиолетовой, затем серой.

Теперь добавил аммиак в первый стакан. Раствор стал сначала фиолетовым, потом серым.

Прилил в оба стакана избыток азотной кислоты. Раствор стал оранжевым (пройдя промежуточные цвета). Наконец, во второй стакан добавил аммиак, жидкость стала фиолетовой.

Таким образом, избыток кислоты приводил к оранжевой окраске раствора. Добавление аммиака вызывало сначала фиолетовую, а затем серую окраску раствора.


Download the Video (76 Mb, .avi )

Cherry, water, nitric acid and ammonia
Cherry, water, nitric acid and ammonia

Cherry, water, nitric acid and ammonia

Cherry, water, nitric acid and ammonia

Cherry, water, nitric acid and ammonia

Cherry, water, nitric acid and ammonia

Cherry, water, nitric acid and ammonia

Cherry, water, nitric acid and ammonia

Cherry, water, nitric acid and ammonia

Cherry, water, nitric acid and ammonia

Cherry, water, nitric acid and ammonia

Cherry, water, nitric acid and ammonia

Cherry, water, nitric acid and ammonia

Cherry, water, nitric acid and ammonia

Cherry, water, nitric acid and ammonia

Cherry, water, nitric acid and ammonia

Cherry, water, nitric acid and ammonia

Cherry, water, nitric acid and ammonia

Cherry, water, nitric acid and ammonia

Cherry, water, nitric acid and ammonia

Cherry, water, nitric acid and ammonia

Cherry, water, nitric acid and ammonia

Cherry, water, nitric acid and ammonia

Cherry, water, nitric acid and ammonia

Cherry, water, nitric acid and ammonia

Cherry, water, nitric acid and ammonia

Cherry, water, nitric acid and ammonia

Cherry, water, nitric acid and ammonia

Cherry, water, nitric acid and ammonia

Cherry, water, nitric acid and ammonia

Cherry, water, nitric acid and ammonia

Cherry, water, nitric acid and ammonia

Cherry, water, nitric acid and ammonia

Cherry, water, nitric acid and ammonia

Cherry, water, nitric acid and ammonia

Cherry, water, nitric acid and ammonia

Cherry, water, nitric acid and ammonia

Cherry, water, nitric acid and ammonia



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