Q11
1 markMCQSection A

If 10 mL10 \text{ mL} of H2SO4H_2SO_4 is mixed with 10 mL10 \text{ mL} of Mg(OH)2Mg(OH)_2 of the same concentration, the resultant solution will give the following colour with universal indicator:

Acids, Bases and Salts
pH of Solutions and Neutralisation

Options

(A)Red
(B)Yellow
(C)Green
(D)Blue
Official Answer

The correct option is C.

neutralisationpH 7greenuniversal indicatorequal concentration

Marking Scheme

  • 1Identifying that equal volumes and concentrations of H2SO4H_2SO_4 and Mg(OH)2Mg(OH)_2 result in complete neutralisation: 0.5 marks
  • 2Stating that the neutral solution has a pHpH of 77 which turns universal indicator green: 0.5 marks

Hint

Determine the stoichiometry of the reaction. Since H2SO4H_2SO_4 provides two H+H^+ ions and Mg(OH)2Mg(OH)_2 provides two OHOH^- ions, equal volumes of equal concentrations will completely neutralize each other to form a neutral solution (pH=7pH = 7).

Quick Oral Answer

The resulting solution is neutral because the H+H^+ ions from the acid and OHOH^- ions from the base neutralize each other completely. A neutral solution has a pHpH of 77, which gives a green colour with universal indicator.

Analysis & Explanation

When 10 mL10 \text{ mL} of sulfuric acid (H2SO4H_2SO_4) is mixed with 10 mL10 \text{ mL} of magnesium hydroxide (Mg(OH)2Mg(OH)_2) of the same concentration, they undergo a complete neutralisation reaction.


H2SO4H_2SO_4 is a diprotic acid that releases two moles of H+H^+ ions per mole of acid, and Mg(OH)2Mg(OH)_2 is a dibasic base that releases two moles of OHOH^- ions per mole of base. Since both the volume (10 mL10 \text{ mL}) and the molar concentration are identical, the moles of H+H^+ ions produced by the acid exactly equal the moles of OHOH^- ions produced by the base:


H2SO4(aq)+Mg(OH)2(aq)MgSO4(aq)+2H2O(l)H_2SO_4(aq) + Mg(OH)_2(aq) \rightarrow MgSO_4(aq) + 2H_2O(l)


This results in a completely neutral solution with a pHpH of 77. According to the pH scale and universal indicator color chart, a neutral solution (pH=7pH = 7) turns green.


  • Why other options are incorrect:
  • A (Red): Red indicates a highly acidic solution (pHpH around 11 to 33).
  • B (Yellow): Yellow indicates a weakly acidic solution (pHpH around 55 to 66).
  • D (Blue): Blue indicates an alkaline solution (pHpH around 99 to 1010).

Common Mistakes

  1. 1Assuming that because H2SO4H_2SO_4 is a strong acid and Mg(OH)2Mg(OH)_2 is a relatively weak base, the solution will remain acidic (red/yellow). In stoichiometric calculations, they neutralize completely.
  2. 2Confusing the purple color of natural litmus solution at neutral pH with the green color of the universal indicator at pH=7pH = 7.

Interesting Facts

Universal indicator is a mixture of several organic indicators (like phenolphthalein, methyl red, and bromothymol blue) designed to reflect a continuous spectrum of colors across the entire pH range from 1 to 14.

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Frequently Asked Questions

How many marks does this question carry in CBSE Class 10 Science 2020?

This question carries 1 mark in the CBSE Class 10 Science 2020 examination.

Which chapter does this question come from in Science?

This question is from the chapter "Acids, Bases and Salts" in the CBSE Class 10 Science syllabus.

What topic does this question cover in Science?

This question covers the topic "pH of Solutions and Neutralisation" from CBSE Class 10 Science.

What type of question is this in the CBSE Class 10 Science 2020 paper?

This is a MCQ question from Section A in the CBSE Class 10 Science 2020 paper.