What are the basic steps in performing an acid-base titration?

The basic steps in performing an acid-base titration involve preparing the solution, adding the titrant, and determining the endpoint.

To begin with, you need to prepare the solution that will be titrated. This involves accurately measuring a specific volume of the solution using a pipette and transferring it to a clean conical flask. The solution is usually an acid or a base whose concentration is known. It's important to rinse the pipette with the solution to be measured before use to ensure accuracy.

Next, you need to prepare the titrant, which is the solution that will be added to the conical flask. The titrant is usually a strong acid or base of known concentration. It is placed in a burette, a long, graduated tube with a tap at the bottom. Before adding the titrant, you should rinse the burette with a small amount of the titrant to ensure accuracy.

The titration process begins by slowly adding the titrant from the burette into the conical flask containing the solution. As you add the titrant, you should continuously stir the solution to ensure it mixes well. It's crucial to add the titrant slowly, especially as you approach the endpoint, to avoid overshooting the endpoint.

The endpoint of the titration is the point at which the reaction between the acid and base is complete. This is usually determined by a colour change in the solution, which is caused by an indicator. An indicator is a substance that changes colour at different pH levels. Common indicators used in acid-base titrations include phenolphthalein and bromothymol blue.

Once the endpoint is reached, you should record the volume of titrant used from the burette. This volume, along with the known concentration of the titrant and the volume of the solution, can be used to calculate the concentration of the unknown solution using the formula: concentration = moles/volume. This is the final step in an acid-base titration.