Acid-Base Titration Practical

Ever wondered how scientists figure out exactly how strong an acid or alkali is? Titration is your answer - it's a precise method where you gradually add one solution to another until they perfectly neutralise each other.

The basic idea is brilliant in its simplicity. You take a known volume of your unknown solution (like sodium hydroxide) and slowly add a solution with known concentration (like sulfuric acid) until the reaction is complete. The chemical equation shows us that sulfuric acid + sodium hydroxide → sodium sulfate + water.

Here's how the practical works step by step. First, you use a pipette to measure exactly 25cm³ of sodium hydroxide into a conical flask, then add a few drops of indicator like methyl orange. Fill your burette with the acid, place everything on a white tile so you can spot colour changes easily, then slowly add acid until you see the solution change colour.

Top Tip: The secret is in the final stages - once you're close to the neutral point, add the acid drop by drop whilst swirling. This gives you the most accurate results and prevents you from overshooting the end point.