A universal indicator is a pH indicator made of a solution of several compounds that exhibits several smooth colour changes over a wide range pH values to indicate the acidity or alkalinity of solutions.
A universal indicator paper is a compound solution or a mixture transfused with a number of pH indicators to detect alkalinity or acidity of various solutions.
pH indicators are weak acids that exist as natural dyes and indicate the concentration of H+ (H3O+) ions in a solution via color change. A pH value is determined from the negative logarithm of this concentration and is used to indicate the acidic, basic, or neutral character of the substance you are testing.
The pH scale measures how acidic or basic a substance is. ... A pH greater than 7 is basic. The pH scale is logarithmic and as a result, each whole pH value below 7 is ten times more acidic than the next higher value.