Litmus test (politics) Litmus test (politics) A litmus test is a question asked of a potential candidate for high office, the answer to which would determine whether the nominating official would proceed with the appointment or nomination. The expression is a metaphor based on the litmus test in chemistry, in which one is able to test the general acidity of a substance, but not its exact pH. Those who must approve a nominee, such as a justice of the Supreme Court of the United States, may also be said to apply a litmus test to determine whether the nominee will receive their vote.
Standard solution Standard solution In analytical chemistry, a standard solution is a solution containing a precisely known concentration of an element or a substance. A known weight of solute is dissolved to make a specific volume. It is prepared using a standard substance, such as a primary standard. Standard solutions are used to determine the concentrations of other substances, such as solutions in titration. The concentrations of standard solutions are normally expressed in units of moles per litre (mol/L, often abbreviated to M for molarity), moles per cubic decimetre (mol/dm), kilomoles per cubic metre (kmol/m) or in terms related to those used