What is the indicator methyl orange used to test for?

Methyl orange is an acid-base indicator commonly used to determine the pH level of a solution. It transitions from red to yellow over a specific pH range, typically between 3.1 (red) and 4.4 (yellow). As such, it is particularly useful for identifying acidic conditions and is employed in titrations involving strong acids and weak bases.

While methyl orange can provide some insight into the acidity or potential alkalinity of a solution, it is primarily recognized for its role in measuring pH rather than directly measuring alkalinity. Alkalinity refers to the capacity of water to resist changes in pH, largely due to the presence of bicarbonates, carbonates, and hydroxides, which methyl orange does not specifically indicate.

Methyl orange does not assess hardness, which concerns the concentration of calcium and magnesium ions, nor does it provide information on conductivity, which relates to the ability of water to conduct electricity due to ion concentration. Therefore, the primary use of methyl orange remains in the determination of pH levels.