What is Titration?

A quantitative and volumetric technique, to determine the unknown

concentration of a solution by the known concentration of a solution in the
presence of indicator is called Titration
Titration is a common laboratory method of using quantitative chemical analysis. This method is
used to determine the unidentified concentration of a known analyte. The volume measurement
is known as volumetric analysis, and it is important in the titration.

Table of Contents
● Types of Titration
● Acid Base Titration
● Redox Titrations
● Precipitation-Titrations
● Complexometric Titrations

Types of Titration
There are many types of titration when considering goals and procedures. However, the most
common types of titration in quantitative chemical analysis are redox titration and acid-base
titration.
Titrations can be classified as:

1. Acid-base Titrations
2. Redox Titrations.
3. Precipitation Titrations.
4. Complexometric Titrations.

1. Acid-Base Titration
The strength of an acid can be determined using a standard solution of a base. This process is
called acidimetry. In the same way, the strength of a base can be found with the help of a
standard solution of an acid, which is known as alkalimetry. Both titrations involve in
the neutralization reaction of an alkali.
What is Acid-Base Titration?
It is a quantitative analysis method to determine an acid’s or base’s concentration by precisely
neutralizing them with a standard solution of either acid or base of known concentration. It is
monitored with the help of a pH indicator to know the development of the acid-base reaction.
HA+BOH→BA+H2O
Acid + Alkali→Salt + Water
Or H+ + A– + B+ + OH– → B+ + A– + H2O
Or H+ + OH– → H2O
The acid-base titration is based on the reaction that neutralization is between a base or an acidic
and analyte. In this type, a reagent is mixed with the sample solution until it reaches the required
pH level. This type of titration majorly depends on the track change in pH or a pH meter.

2. Redox Titrations
The redox titration is also known as an oxidation-reduction reaction. In this type of titration, the
chemical reaction takes place with a transfer of electrons in the reacting ions of aqueous
solutions. The titrations are named after the reagent that is used in are as follows;

● Permanganate Titrations
● Dichromate Titrations
● Iodimetric and Iodometric Titrations

Permanganate Titrations
In this titration, the potassium permanganate is used as an oxidizing agent. It is maintained with
the use of dilute sulphuric acid. Here is the equation.
2KMnO4 + 3H2SO4 → K2SO4 + 2MnSO4 + 3H2O + 5[O]
Or MnO4– + 8H+ + 5e– → Mn2++ 4H2O
Further, the solution remains colourless before the endpoint. The potassium permanganate is
used to estimate oxalic acid, ferrous salts, hydrogen peroxide, oxalates and more. While the
solution of potassium permanganate is always standardized before it is used.

Dichromate Titrations
These are titrations in which, potassium dichromate is used as an oxidising agent in acidic
medium. The medium is maintained acidic by the use of dilute sulphuric acid. The potential
equation is:
K2Cr2O7 + 4H2SO4 → K2SO4 + Cr2(SO4)3 + 4H2O + 3[O]
Or Cr2O72– + 14H+ + 6e– → 2 Cr3+ + 7H2O
The solution of potassium dichromate can be directly used for titrations. It is mainly used for the
estimation of ferrous salts and iodides.

Iodimetric and Iodometric Titrations

The reduction of free iodine to iodide ions and
oxidation of iodide ions to free occurs in these titrations.
l + 2e– → 2l–……………. (reduction)
2

2l– → I2 + 2e– ……………. (oxidation)

The solution is used as an indicator. Free iodine is used in the iodometric titration, while in the
iodometric titration an oxidation agent is used to react to liberate free iodine.

3. Precipitation Titrations
The titration is based on the insoluble precipitate formation when the two reacting substances are
brought into contact is called precipitation titration. For instance, when the solution of silver
nitrate is used to a solution of ammonium thiocyanate or sodium chloride, it reacts and forms a
white precipitate of silver thiocyanate or silver chloride.
AgNO3 + NaCl → AgCl + NaNO3
AgNO3 + NH4CNS → AgCNS + NH4NO3

4. Complexometric Titrations
The complexometric titration is where an undissociated complex is formed at an equivalence
point. It is greater than the precipitation titrations, and there will be no error due to co-
precipitations.
Hg2+ + 2SCN– → Hg(SCN)2
Ag+ + 2CN– → [Ag(CN)2]–
Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) is an important reagent that forms complexes with
metals.

Frequently Asked Questions – FAQs

What is the main purpose of an acid-base titration?

To determine the unknown concentration of a base or acid by neutralizing them with a base or
n acid of a known concentration.

What are acid-base indicators?

Substances that change their colour when the pH of their surrounding changes are called acid-
base indicators. They are also called pH indicators.
Choice and Suitability of Indicators.
Choice and Suitability of Indicators.
What is the purpose of titration in chemistry?
Titrating a simple solution with a volume of a regular acid solution (of known concentration)
needed to neutralize it may be used to determine its concentration. The aim of the titration is to
find the equivalence point, which is the point where chemically equivalent quantities of the
reactants are combined.

What does it mean to titrate a solution?

Titration is the incremental addition of a known concentration solution (called a titrant) to a known
volume of an unknown concentration solution before the reaction achieves neutralization, which
is often signaled by a color shift.

What is end point in titration?

When an indicator indicates that the amount of reactant needed for a full reaction has been
added to a solution during a titration.

Equivalence Points and End Points

If a titration is to give an accurate result we must combine the titrand and
the titrant in stoichiometrically equivalent amounts. We call this
stoichiometric mixture the equivalence point. Unlike precipitation
gravimetry, where we add the precipitant in excess, an accurate titration
requires that we know the exact volume of titrant at the equivalence
point, Veq. The product of the titrant’s equivalence point volume and its
molarity, MT, is equal to the moles of titrant that react with the titrand.
moles titrant =MT×Veq
If we know the stoichiometry of the titration reaction, then we can
calculate the moles of titrand.
Unfortunately, for most titration reactions there is no obvious sign when
we reach the equivalence point. Instead, we stop adding the titrant at
an end point of our choosing. Often this end point is a change in the
color of a substance, called an indicator, that we add to the titrand’s
solution. The difference between the end point’s volume and the
equivalence point’s volume is a determinate titration error. If the end
point and the equivalence point volumes coincide closely, then this error
is insignificant and is safely ignored. Clearly, selecting an appropriate end
point is of critical importance.

Titration Curves
To find a titration’s end point, we need to monitor some property of the
reaction that has a well-defined value at the equivalence point. For
example, the equivalence point for a titration of HCl with NaOH occurs at
a pH of 7.0. A simple method for finding the equivalence point is to
monitor the titration mixture’s pH using a pH electrode, stopping the
titration when we reach a pH of 7.0. Alternatively, we can add an indicator
to the titrand’s solution that changes color at a pH of 7.0.
Suppose the only available indicator changes color at a pH of 6.8. Is the
difference between this end point and the equivalence point small enough
that we safely can ignore the titration error? To answer this question we
need to know how the pH changes during the titration.
A titration curve provides a visual picture of how a property of the
titration reaction changes as we add the titrant to the titrand. The titration
curve in Figure 9.1.1 , for example, was obtained by suspending a pH
electrode in a solution of 0.100 M HCl (the titrand) and monitoring the pH
while adding 0.100 M NaOH (the titrant). A close examination of this
titration curve should convince you that an end point pH of 6.8 produces a
negligible titration error. Selecting a pH of 11.6 as the end point, however,
produces an unacceptably large titration error

Precipitation Reaction
Chemical reactions involve chemical changes that result in the formation of new compounds
under some specific conditions. Chemical equations can help us understand the chemical
reactions between various elements or compounds. Chemical equations show the reactants
and the products that are involved in these reactions. The compounds that participate in a
chemical reaction are called reactants. The reactants might be in the solid, gaseous, or liquid
phase.

Table of Contents
● What is Precipitation Reaction
● Recommended Videos
● Frequently Asked Questions – FAQs

What is Precipitation Reaction?

Many chemical reactions occur in our daily lives. Common examples of such reactions are
burning, corrosion, cooking of food and digestion. One important class of chemical reactions
are precipitation reactions. In such reactions, two different soluble salts (which are in
aqueous solutions) combine to form two products. One of these products is insoluble in the
solution and is precipitated out (and is, therefore, referred to as the ‘precipitate’).
Precipitation Reaction – Definition and Meaning
The term ‘precipitation reaction’ can be defined as “ a chemical reaction occurring in an
aqueous solution where two ionic bonds combine, resulting in the formation of an insoluble
salt”. These insoluble salts formed in precipitation reactions are called precipitates.
Precipitation reactions are usually double displacement reactions involving the production of
a solid form residue called the precipitate. These reactions also occur when two or more
solutions with different salts are combined, resulting in the formation of insoluble salts that
precipitate out of the solution.
One of the best examples of precipitation reactions is the chemical reaction between
potassium chloride and silver nitrate, in which solid silver chloride is precipitated out. This is
the insoluble salt formed as a product of the precipitation reaction. The chemical equation for
this precipitation reaction is provided below.
AgNO (aqueous) + KCl(aqueous) —–AgCl(precipitate) + KNO (aqueous)
3 3

In the above reaction, a white precipitate called silver chloride or AgCl is formed which is in
the solid-state. This solid silver chloride is insoluble in water. Precipitation reactions help in
determining the presence of different ions present in a particular solution.
The other example of a precipitation reaction is the reaction between calcium chloride and
potassium hydroxide, resulting in the formation of an insoluble salt Called calcium
hydroxide. The chemical equation for this reaction is below-
2KOH(aqueous) + CaCl (aqueous)—-Ca(OH) (aqueous) + 2KCl(aqueous)
2 2

Some more examples of chemical equations of on precipitation reaction are as below-

AgNO (aqueous) + NaCl(aqueous) —- AgCl↓ + NaNO (aqueous)
3 3

Mg(OH) (s) + 2HCl (aqueous) ——— MgCl (aqueous) + 2H O(l)

2 2 2

Properties of Precipitates and Precipitation Reaction

Some of the properties of precipitates and the reaction are as below-

● The precipitation reaction undergoes in aqueous solutions or medium in an ionic state.

● The reaction takes place between ions present in the aqueous solutions, forming the
product

● The products formed at the end of precipitation reaction are the precipitates which are
insoluble in aqueous solutions

● Precipitation reactions are known as ionic reactions since the ions actively take part in the
reaction and form the product.

● These reactions depend on the temperature, concentration of the solution, buffer solution,
etc.
Applications of Precipitation Reaction
Precipitation reaction helps in determining a particular element present in the given solution.
These reactions also monitor the formation of a precipitate when some chemical is added to
solutions. These are used for the extraction of magnesium from the seawater. The human
body also encounters these reactions existing between antigens and antibodies.
Examples of Precipitation Reaction in Everyday Life
Precipitation reaction can be used in wastewater treatment. When a contaminant forms an
insoluble solid, then we can use this reaction to precipitate out the contaminated ions. In
wastewater, a frequent presence of heavy metals can be found such as compounds of sulphide
and hydroxide. So, we can add a source of hydroxide that is soluble (NaOH Or Na S) that 2

will result in a precipitation reaction.