The labels have fallen off of two bottles thought to contain solid sodium chloride or solid sodium carbonate. Describe a simple experiment which would allow you to determine which bottle contains which solid. A sample of each solution should be tested on litmus or indicator paper in order to determine which is which. Hydrochloric acid solution is an acid. Sodium hydroxide solution is a base. Sodium chloride solution is neutral. All samples should be tested on red and blue litmus paper. Red litmus paper is a base indicator and blue litmus paper is an acid indicator. To start off the testing, the sample of the first unidentified solution should be dropped on to each piece of litmus paper. If the red litmus paper does not change color and the blue litmus paper does turn red that means that the tested solution is an acid, hydrochloric acid. Immediately label the solution. The next solution should be tested. If the red litmus paper does not change color and the blue litmus paper does not change color that means that the tested solution is neutral, sodium chloride. Immediately label that solution. Finally test the remaining solution just to make sure that it is definitely the remaining unidentified solution, sodium chloride. If the red litmus paper turns blue and the blue litmus paper does not change color that means that the tested solution is a base, sodium hydroxide. The samples should never be tasted, felt, or directly smelt in order to determine their identity.