One of the questions on my worksheet asks: Litmus changes color between a pH of 5.5 and 8. This range is called.....BLANK. I don't really get what it wants me to put there--some help, please!

Sure! The range between pH 5.5 and 8, where litmus changes color, has a specific name. This range is known as the "neutral range" or sometimes referred to as the "transition range" of litmus paper.

To understand why this range is called the neutral range, let me explain a bit about pH. The pH scale measures the acidity or alkalinity (basicity) of a substance. A pH of 7 is considered neutral, indicating where the substance is neither acidic nor alkaline.

Litmus paper is an indicator commonly used to determine the pH of a solution. It undergoes a color change depending on the acidity or alkalinity of the substance being tested. In acidic conditions (pH less than 7), litmus paper turns red. Conversely, in alkaline conditions (pH greater than 7), it turns blue.

So, when the question refers to the pH range between 5.5 and 8, it is essentially asking for the specific term that describes the range where litmus paper transitions between red and blue, indicating neither acidic nor alkaline conditions. The acceptable answer would be the "neutral range" or the "transition range" of litmus paper.