6.9.5

Titration Curves

Test yourself

Strong Acid/Base Titrations

Titrations of a strong acid with a strong base are the simplest to understand.

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pH curve

  • The pH curve pictured shows the change in pH when a strong acid is titrated with a strong base.
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The beginning

  • In the beginning, you can see that the pH is very low, and doesn’t change very quickly.
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The middle

  • In the middle of the graph, there is a sharp change and the pH rises very rapidly. This is known as the equivalence point.
    • At the equivalence point, the acid is just about neutralized. Adding any more base causes a rapid shift to a basic solution.
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The end

  • The curve ends at a very high pH because the solution has excess base present.
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Indicator

  • When doing an acid/base titration, you need to use an indicator to find the equivalence point.
  • A good indicator will change color dramatically over a small pH range.
    • If the small pH range includes the range of the equivalence point, it’s a great indicator for the reaction.
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Examples of good indicators

  • The two main indicators are phenolphthalein and methyl orange.
    • Phenolphthalein changes from colorless to pink from pH 8.3 to pH 10.
    • Methyl orange changes color from red to yellow between pH 3.1 and pH 4.4.
  • Either of these are well suited for a strong acid/base titration.

Jump to other topics

1Structure - Models of the Particulate of Matter

2Structure - Models of Bonding & Structure

3Structure - Classification of Matter

3.1The Periodic Table: Classification of Elements

3.2Periodic Trends

3.3Group 1 Alkali Metals

3.4Halogens

3.5Noble gases, group 18

3.6Functional Groups: Classification of Organic

3.7Functional Group Chemistry

3.8Alkanes

3.9Alcohols

3.10Halogenoalkanes

4Reactivity - What Drives Chemical Reaction?

5Reactivity - How Much, How Fast & How Far?

6Reactivity - The Mechanisms of Chemical Change

7Measurement, Data Processing & Analysis

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