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Titration

In a titration you add a solution of known concentration until you have reacted with all of the unknown. For a strong acid and a strong base in the ratio 1:1, the amounts are equal at the equivalence point. You read the volume of the titrant and calculate the unknown concentration. An indicator should change colour as close as possible to the equivalence point. The volumes can both be in millilitres. Remember which of them is the unknown.

Try it yourself

Titration: 25 mL 0.1 M HCl with 0.1 M NaOH

c_1 = \frac{c_2 V_2}{V_1}

unknown concentration at 1:1

Symbols

$c_1$	unknown acid concentration	mol/L
$V_1$	volume of the acid	mL
$c_2$	concentration of NaOH	mol/L
$V_2$	volume of NaOH at equivalence	mL

Example

25 mL of hydrochloric acid is titrated with 0.10 mol/L NaOH. Equivalence after 20 mL.

$c_1 = 0.10 \cdot 20 / 25 = 0.080$ mol/L.

Rinse the burette with the titrant first, otherwise the first portion is more dilute than it should be.

Practise buffers and titration for free →

← A buffer when the ratio is ten · A cell with copper and zinc →

Part of Chemistry 2: Buffers and titration.