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Explaining The Shape of Titration Curves
Explaining The Shape of Titration Curves
And removing the spectator ions leaves us with the ionic equation for
neutralisation
Weak acids are not fully dissociated in solution so to begin with we have a
lower [H+], a higher starting pH and the presence of both ethanoic acid
molecule and ethanoate ions in an equilibrium system.
As both the acid (HA) and the conjugate base (A–) are present, the solution
acts as a buffer initially when the OH– ions are added. These OH– ions react
with the H+ ions causing the equilibrium position to shift to the right,
generating more H+. As a result, the H+ ion concentration and hence the
pH changes very slowly at the start of the titration.
Why is the equivalence point greater than pH7?
As H+ are added they react with the OH– present, shifting the equilibrium
position to the right: pH is maintained as the H+ concentration hardly
changes.