Titration
What titrations are used for
- Titrations are a method of analysing the concentration of solutions
- Acid-base titrations are one of the most important kinds of titrations
- They can determine exactly how much alkali is needed to neutralise a quantity of acid – and vice versa
- You may be asked to calculate the moles present in a given amount, the concentration or volume required to neutralise an acid or a base
Types of titrations
- Titrations can also be used to prepare salts or other precipitates and in redox reactions
- Indicators are used to show the endpoint in a titration
- Wide range indicators such as litmus are not suitable for a titration as they do not give a sharp enough colour change at the end point
- Some of the most common indicators with their corresponding colours are shown below
Common indicators and their corresponding colours table
| Indicator | Colour in acid | Colour in alkali | Colour in neutral |
| Litmus solution | Red | Blue | Purple |
| Litmus paper: red | Stays red | Turns blue | No change |
| Litmus paper: blue | Turns red | Stays blue | No change |
| Methyl orange | Red | Yellow | Orange |
| Phenolphthalein | Colourless | Pink | Colourless |
