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A milkman adds a very small amount of baking soda to fresh milk. Why does he shift the pH of the fresh milk from 6 to slightly alkaline?
By BYJU'S Exam Prep
Updated on: September 25th, 2023
He shifts the pH of the fresh milk from 6 to slightly alkaline to prevent the milk from turning into curd. Milk has a pH of 6, which indicates that it has a mild acidic tendency. Lactic acid, which is more acidic in nature, is created when the milk is turned into curd by the action of bacteria.
- As a result, the pH level of the milk decreases as it becomes curd.
- Baking soda or sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3) is therefore added to the solution to prevent this, slightly alkalinizing it.
- Therefore, throughout this process, the pH of the milk rises, delaying the curdling of the milk.
- In order to prevent the milk from curdling, a milkman changes the pH of fresh milk from 6 to slightly alkaline.
Table of content
pH Scale
- Acids and bases can be measured using a pH scale. The scale has a range of 0 to 14.
- An indicator called Litmus paper is used to determine if a chemical is an acid or a basic.
- The type of chemical being tested is indicated by the color of the paper, which corresponds to the pH scale’s numbers. For instance, vinegar is an acid and has a pH of 2.4.
- Doctors and scientists typically concur that maintaining a good pH balance is important for your overall health.
- Your diet and beverage choices have an impact on your body’s pH level and potential hydrogen content.
- The concentration of hydrogen ions is measured by pH. This calculation is based on a pH scale.
Summary:
A milkman adds a very small amount of baking soda to fresh milk. Why does he shift the pH of the fresh milk from 6 to slightly alkaline?
A milkman adds a very small amount of baking soda to fresh milk. He shifts the pH of the fresh milk from 6 to slightly alkaline to prevent the milk from turning into curd. The pH scale is logarithmic and shows the solution’s concentration of hydrogen ions inversely.
