How to Measure the Acidity of Soft Drinks

The pH of soda is similiar to that of straight vinegar.
••• glass of soda image by Kalani from Fotolia.com

Soft drinks are the most acidic beverages a consumer can buy, according to Real Water Health. In fact, their acid content is in the same range as vinegar. The human body needs a balance of acid and alkaline to remain at peak performance, but too much of one and not enough of the other can lead to health issues. Not only can the high acidity in soft drinks cause health problems, it can lead to tooth decay.

    Label each container with the type of soft drink being poured into it by placing a piece of scotch tape on the outside of the container. Use a pen to write the name of the beverage on the tape.

    Take out three pH strips for each container of soda. To get the most accurate results, measure the acidity three times. This will give a mean measurement of the acidity.

    Dip the pH strip into the container, allowing the liquid to touch the strip for at least one second.

    Pull the strip out of the container and evaluate the color of the strip using the color chart. A deep red color would indicate a high acid content, and a deep purple indicates a high alkaline content. Green shades indicate a balance of acid and alkaline pH. Record the color and the number on the pH strip.

    Repeat steps 3 and 4 two more times. Record the results.

    Add the results for the three tests for each individual soft drink. Divide the number by three to get the average acidity for the soft drinks evaluated. Repeat this step for each soda tested.

    Things You'll Need

    • Different varieties of soda
    • Containers, one for each soft drink
    • Scotch tape
    • Pen
    • pH paper strips
    • pH color chart
    • Paper

    Tips

    • Do variations for the test. Try refrigerating the soda before testing it. Shake the soda up before testing to get rid of some carbonation. Record the results and assess if they are different.

Related Articles

Science Project: Which Brands of Cereal Stay Crunchy...
How to Measure the Acidity of Fruits
Science Fair Project on the Effect of Soda on the Body
What Do the Colors Indicate on a pH Test Strip Paper?
PH Levels of Fruit
Science Projects on Bottled Water Vs. Tap Water
Kids' Science Fair Projects on Tooth Decay
How to Calculate the pH of Lemon Juice
Science Experiments on pH Levels
Science Project: Which Brands of Cereal Stay Crunchy...
How to Measure for Acidity or Alkalinity
How to Measure pH Levels
How to Raise pH by Using Baking Soda in Water
How to Use Beet Juice to Make a PH Scale
Why Does Soda Pop Clean Coins?
PH Levels in Shampoos
Topics for a Science Project: What Fruit Has the Most...
Experiments on How to Compare Carbonation in Soft Drinks
How to Neutralize an Acid
How to Test for Calcium Hydroxide

Dont Go!

We Have More Great Sciencing Articles!