introduction

Volumetric analysis is a quantitative analytical method. Volumetric analysis is a

method in which the amount of a substance is determined by measuring the volume that it
occupies and the volume of a second substance that combines with the first in known
proportions. It is a laboratory method of quantitative chemical analysis which is used to
determine the unknown concentration of an analyte. Titration is a volumetric analysis
because it’s based on the measurement of volumes.
The reaction of the known substance with the substance to be analysed, occurring
in aqueous solution, is conducted by a titration procedure. The titration procedure
requires a burette to dispense a liquid, called the titrant, into a flask containing the analyte.
The titrant may be a solution of known or unknown concentration. The analyte may be a
solution whose volume is measured with a pipet or it may be a dissolved solid with a very
accurately measured mass. For the acid–base titration studied in this experiment, the
titrant is a sodium hydroxide solution and the analyte is an acid.
A reaction is complete when stoichiometric amounts of the reacting substances
are combined. In a titration this is the stoichiometric point. In this experiment the
stoichiometric point for the strong acid–strong base titration is detected using a
phenolphthalein indicator. Phenolphthalein is colourless in an acidic solution pink in a
basic solution. The point in the titration at which the phenolphthalein changes colour is
called the endpoint of the indicator. Indicators are selected so that the stoichiometric
point in the titration coincides (at approximately the same pH) with the endpoint of the
indicator.
HCI + NaOH → NaCI + H2O
Note the molar relationship. For every one mole of HCI, it would take one mole of NaOH
to react it completely.
Since for every one mole of HCI used it takes one mole of NaOH to react with it,
if the moles of HCI is known, the moles of NaOH is known as well.
moles of HCI = moles of NaOH
In the titration, the NaOH is added drop by drop using the burette. The burette
indicates how much NaOH is being added to the HCI. At the point where all the HCI has
been reacted any additional NaOH will turn the solution basic. The phenolphthalein turns
the solution from clear to pink in a basic solution. This is called the endpoint.
The volume of NaOH added to the HCI is read off the burette in milliliters and converted
to liters (liters = ml / 1000).
The concentration (molarity) of the sodium hydroxide solution can now be determined.