Litmus paper gives the user a general indication of acidity or alkalinity as it correlates to the shade of red or blue that the paper turns.
To test the pH of a substance, dip a strip of litmus paper into the solution or use a dropper or pipette to drip a small amount of solution onto the litmus paper.
Blue litmus paper can indicate an acid with a pH between 4 and 5 or lower.
Red litmus paper can show a base with a pH greater than 8.
If a solution has a pH between 5 and 8, it will show little color change on the litmus paper.
A base tested with blue litmus paper will not show any color change, nor will an acid tested with red litmus paper register a change in color.
