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.
- Different varieties of soda
- Containers, one for each soft drink
- Scotch tape
- Pen
- pH paper strips
- pH color chart
- Paper
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.
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.
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About the Author
Annabeth Kaine began writing in 2010 with work appearing on various websites. She has successfully run two businesses, held chairmanship positions on two fund-raising committees and received excellence-in-service awards for both. Kaine is completing her Bachelor of Arts in psychology.
Photo Credits
glass of soda image by Kalani from Fotolia.com