(1) Define terms relevant to an Acid-Base

titration.

(2) Define the term “Acid-Base titration

curve and illustrate various Acid-Base
titration curves.

(3) Define Indicators and explain how

they work.
An Acid-Base Titration

1.0 M NaOH (base)

1.0 M Phenol
 An Acid-Base Titration
 When an ACID and a BASE react, the reaction is
termed as a NEUTRALISATION reaction.
 An indicator indicates when the acid and alkali are
mixed in exactly the right proportions to "neutralise"
each other.
 When the indicator changes colour, this is often
described as the end point of the titration.
 The equivalence point is the point at which
chemically equal amounts of acid and base have
reacted.
 The end point occurs just after the equivalence point.
What is an Acid-Base Titration curve?
 A titration curve is a plot of pH of the titre vs. volume
of the titrant.
 This plot therefore shows how the pH of a solution
changes with time, as another solution is added to it.
 The plot is dependent on the nature of acid and base.

pH Now let’s look at some

plots- with both acid &
alkali having a
concentration of 1M
and a volume of 25 cm3

Volume of Titre
 Strong Acid-Strong Base
 NaOH and HCl.

Adding Acid Adding Alkali

to Alkali to Acid
 Strong Acid-Weak Base
 HCl and NH3

Adding Acid Adding Alkali

to Alkali to Acid
 Weak Acid-Strong Base
 CH3COOH and NaOH

Adding Acid Adding to

to Alkali Alkali to Acid
 Weak Acid-Weak Base
 CH3COOH and NH3

Adding Acid
to Alkali
 What is an Indicator?
An indicator is a
weak organic acid
that is used to
indicate the
equivalence point
of a reaction.
 The equilibrium reaction for an indicator is:

HIn ↔ H+ + In-
Colour 1 Colour 2
 In acidic media, Colour 1 is observed.
 In basic media, Colour 2 is observed.
 Selecting an Indicator?
 An indicator’s colour changes over a range of
1.5 to 2 pH units.
 You want a small range for accuracy.

 When selecting an indicator, you have to

select one whose pH range of colour change
includes the equivalence point of the
solution being titrated.
 Selecting an indicator
strong acid vs strong base
 Neither indicator
changes colour at
equivalence point

 However curve is so
steep at this point that
either indicator can
detect the end-point
 Selecting an indicator
strong acid vs weak base
 Phenolphthalein is useless
in this case
 Methyl orange will change
from yellow to orange near
the equivalence point
 Choose an indicator which
changes colour on the steep
part of the curve
 Selecting an indicator
weak acid vs strong base
 Methyl orange is useless,
it will be yellow for the
duration of the titration

 Phenolphthalein will go
from pink to colourless
at the equivalence point
 Selecting an indicator
weak acid vs weak base
 Neither of these indicators
will work here
 It is possible to find an
indicator that changes
colour near the
equivalence point but the
change will never be sharp
enough
 We never use indicators to
detect end point of a weak
acid-weak base titration.