Titration and pH
Introduction
Titration is a technique used in chemistry to determine the concentration of a solution. It involves adding a known volume of a titrant, a solution with a known concentration, to a known volume of the analyte, the solution with an unknown concentration. The reaction between the titrant and the analyte is monitored using a pH meter, which measures the acidity or alkalinity of the solution.
Basic Concepts
Titration Curve
The titration curve is a graph that plots the pH of the solution against the volume of titrant added. The equivalence point is the point at which the moles of titrant added are equal to the moles of analyte present. At this point, the solution is neutral, and the pH is 7.
pH
pH is a measure of the acidity or alkalinity of a solution. It is measured on a scale of 0 to 14, with 7 being neutral. Solutions with a pH less than 7 are acidic, while solutions with a pH greater than 7 are basic.
Equipment and Techniques
Titration requires the following equipment:
- Burette: A graduated cylinder used to measure the volume of titrant added.
- Erlenmeyer flask: A flask used to contain the analyte.
- pH meter: A device used to measure the pH of the solution.
- Pipette: A device used to measure small volumes of liquid.
The titration procedure is as follows:
- The analyte is placed in the Erlenmeyer flask.
- The burette is filled with the titrant.
- The pH meter is calibrated.
- The titrant is slowly added to the analyte, with constant stirring.
- The pH of the solution is recorded after each addition of titrant.
- The titration curve is plotted.
Types of Experiments
There are two main types of titration experiments:
- Strong acid-strong base titrations: These titrations are used to determine the concentration of a strong acid or base.
- Weak acid-strong base titrations: These titrations are used to determine the concentration of a weak acid or base.
Data Analysis
The data from a titration experiment can be used to calculate the concentration of the analyte. The following formula is used:
M1V1 = M2V2
Where:
- M1 is the concentration of the titrant.
- V1 is the volume of titrant added.
- M2 is the concentration of the analyte.
- V2 is the volume of analyte used.
The equivalence point can be located by finding the point on the titration curve where the pH is 7. The volume of titrant added at the equivalence point is equal to the volume of analyte used.
Applications
Titration is a versatile technique that has many applications in chemistry, including:
- Determining the concentration of acids and bases.
- Determining the purity of chemicals.
- Measuring the strength of antioxidants.
- Analyzing water quality.
Conclusion
Titration is a powerful technique that can be used to determine the concentration of a solution. It is a relatively simple and inexpensive technique, and it can be used for a wide variety of applications.