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I wonder?

  • Thread starter Travis
  • Start date
T

Travis

Out of curiosity, I wonder what would be the pH level of the acid in a pitcher plant? I also wonder if it makes a difference if you stir it? Must be a somewhat high level. Pure water is at 7 and then oven cleaner is around 13.5. Then you have Lemon juice around 2-pH level. The lower the number higher the acid content. I am guessing around 3 to 4-pH level for a pitcher plant (Nep or Sarr). I would need a pH stick to find out. You figure is breaks down soft tissue insects so it would have to be somewhat high, right?

travis
 
Well, Bases are corrosive as well... You used oven cleaner as an example, its gotta dissolve all that stuff on the inside of an oven, right?
 
According to my Biology book oven cleaner is very low on the acid content. Does not really explain why Oven cleaner is so low. I am guessing the components in it just do not contain acid. The basic fruits usually contain acids like: grapefruits, oranges, tomatoes, and lemons are high on acid content. I am not a science major so I can not really give you detailed info. why oven cleaner is low on acid.
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I am sure some one else can explain in further detail.

travis
 
Travis heres some fluid Ph info from Charles Clarkes Nepenthes of Borneo:
N. bicalcarata 4.33
N. ampullaria 3.72
N. albomarginata 3.78
N. rafflesiana 2.55
N. gracilis 2.43
N. mirabilis 4.30

If you're really into biology and scientific information then Clarks books are just fantastic, "expensive", but fantastic!
 
oven cleaner is lye.. sodium hydroxide... NaOH
when you put it in water it simply splits to Na+ OH-
IF there should happen to be any H+ running around it would immediately bind with a free OH- to form back to H2O .. so you can see that the sodium hydroxide sucks up any and all available acid as long as there is enough NaOH there. Hence the pH is very high with so much OH- running around and no +H.
Tony
 
Acids, like vinegar, work by freeing hydrogen ions (H+) from substances. Alkalis aka Bases, like oven cleaner, free hydroxide ions (OH-) from substances.  When combined together in equal amounts you get HOH or H2O, water.  You can also get a lot of heat released suddenly, depending on the acid and alkali you use.  So it's not a good idea to do this without the help of someone familiar with the reactions and use the proper safety equipment.

When it is all said and done, they are both corrosive but for different reasons.
 
A lot of CP digestive juices are hydrochloric acid, as in humans' stomachs. I think the ph of this is 2!
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When you are talking about 2 that is pretty strong acid for a plant. The gastric juices (stomach juices) are 2 on the pH level that is pretty strong. That is amazing a plant can produce those kinds of acids
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. I will have to look into some of Clarks books. Thanks, Swords for that info.

travis
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