How the Bromothymol Blue pH Indicator Actually Works

This text describes what’s happening at the molecular level when a common pH indicator, Bromothymol blue, undergoes a color change: at high pH, the chemical structure of BTB is protonated and appears yellow in solution, while at low pH, the structure loses a proton and appears blue.

Topics

  • acid-base indicator
  • pH indicator
  • pH
  • proton concentration
  • solution
  • acid
  • base
  • acidity
  • pOH
  • pH scale
  • measuring
  • proton
  • hydroxide ion
  • logarithmic
  • linear
  • scale
  • neutral
  • Bromothymol blue
  • BTB