experiment titration method

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Education and Communications

How to Perform a Titration

Last Updated: November 18, 2024 Fact Checked

This article was co-authored by Bess Ruff, MA . Bess Ruff is a Geography PhD student at Florida State University. She received her MA in Environmental Science and Management from the University of California, Santa Barbara in 2016. She has conducted survey work for marine spatial planning projects in the Caribbean and provided research support as a graduate fellow for the Sustainable Fisheries Group. There are 10 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 478,800 times.

A titration is a technique used in chemistry to help determine the concentration of a reactant mixed within an unknown solution. The process involves adding a known solution to the unknown solution until a reaction occurs. Most often, this reaction is a color change. When done correctly and carefully, a titration will yield very precise results for acid-base calculations, redox reactions, complexation, and many other calculations.

Setting up Your Equipment

Step 1 Gather all the necessary equipment before starting.

Your analyte is the sample in which you are looking for a specific chemical quantity. That chemical is your titrand. For example, if you are checking the chloride levels in your local water supply, tap water would be your analyte, and the chlorides would be your titrand.
Your titrant is the chemical that you add to your analyte in measured quantities to help you calculate the amount of your titrand.
You want enough of your titrant that you can repeat your titration at least 3 times. If you are unsure of how much of your titrant you need, you can look online or consult your lab’s director.

Repeat the rinsing process at least 3 times with water to completely clean your burette.
After you’ve rinsed the burette with water, perform the same rinsing process at least 2 times with your analyte.

If you do not have deionized water, available, tap water will work. However, the distilled water rinse will still be necessary as this lowers the chances of contamination for your analyte.

Step 4 Fill the burette with an excess amount of titrant.

If you overfill your burette, open the stopcock slightly and let the excess titrant flow out until it reaches the zero mark.

Step 5 Clamp the burette carefully to a burette stand.

Conducting Your Titration

Step 1 Measure out a precise amount of analyte in a clean beaker or flask.

If necessary, rinse the analyte into your beaker or flask, thus making sure all of the analyte is in the beaker.
The amount of analyte you need will depend on your experimental design, the types of chemicals, and the titrand you’re trying to find.

Step 2 Drop a small amount of color indicator into the beaker.

Likewise, the amount of color indicator you need will depend on the volume of your analyte. Generally, you will need between 3-5 drops of indicator for 100 mL of analyte.

Step 3 Add your second chemical, if necessary.

As with the color indicator, the amount and type of buffer you may need depends on your quantity of analyte and the titrant for which you’re looking. Generally, though, you will add your buffer until it removes the tint imparted by the color indicator.
Generally, the buffer solution will be an acid or alkali in a specific, known concentration.

Step 4 Agitate the beaker using a magnetic stir plate.

You will leave the stir plate on until your titration is complete.
If you do not have a magnetic stir plate, you can agitate the beaker by hand by gently swirling it 4-5 times before placing it under the burette.

Step 5 Place the beaker under the burette.

If you notice a color change, close the stopcock and allow the agitator to run for 30 seconds. If the color dissipates before the 30-second mark, open the stopcock slightly and continue to add the titrant drop by drop until you get a permanent change. [13] X Research source
If you’re not using a magnetic stir plate, close the stopcock once you notice the first flash of color change. Agitate the beaker to see if the color dissipates. If it does, replace the beaker under the burette and continue the titration. If it does not, you’ve reached your endpoint.

Step 7 Record your final volume from your burette.

When reading the end volume of your burette, make sure your eyes are at the level of the titrant meniscus. Take your reading from the meniscus.

Finishing Your Analysis

Step 1 Dispose of the chemicals used in a labeled waste container.

For your burette, fill it with water, open the stopcock, and allow it to drain completely. Repeat this 2-3 times to rinse out the burette. [16] X Research source

Step 3 Calculate the concentration of the titrand.

Calculations of the concentration should be done to the appropriate number of significant figures. Ask your instructor or lab director if you’re unsure of what these may be.

Anne Schmidt

Titration labs culminate chemistry learning. Titration labs are a favorite because they bring together so many concepts. Students get to apply claim, evidence, reasoning in experiments with engaging, colorful results. It's a culmination of chemistry learning in action.

Community Q&A

Always wear protective goggles and gloves and have emergency equipment on hand when you are performing any titration. Thanks Helpful 2 Not Helpful 0
The endpoint is extremely easy to overshoot if you're not observant. When you have the slightest feeling you're approaching endpoint, start counting drops, and go extremely slowly. Thanks Helpful 2 Not Helpful 0
In some cases, it may be easier to determine if the endpoint has been reached if you place a white card underneath your beaker or flask so that you can see if the indicator has changed color. Thanks Helpful 1 Not Helpful 0

Do not consume any of the reactants. Thanks Helpful 26 Not Helpful 6
Don't rinse any of the chemicals down the sink; put into an appropriate, labeled waste container. Thanks Helpful 20 Not Helpful 8

Things You'll Need

An excess amount of titrant
A precisely measured amount of analyte
A calibrated burette
A burette stand
A beaker or Erlenmeyer flask
Protective gloves
Safety goggles

↑ https://sciencing.com/purpose-titration-5406434.html
↑ https://chemed.chem.purdue.edu/genchem/lab/equipment/buret/use.html
↑ https://sciencing.com/must-appropriate-solution-before-titration-8745281.html
↑ https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/guides/zsbxjty/revision/2
↑ http://www.digipac.ca/chemical/mtom/contents/chapter4/titration.htm
↑ https://chemed.chem.purdue.edu/genchem/lab/techniques/titration/perform.html
↑ http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/science/add_ocr_pre_2011/chemical_synthesis/calculationsrev3.shtml
↑ http://dept.harpercollege.edu/chemistry/chm/100/dgodambe/thedisk/labtech/titrate2.htm
↑ https://www.txst.edu/chemistry/student-resources/Stockroom/cleaning-laboratory-glassware.html
↑ https://sciencing.com/calculate-titration-5328453.html

About This Article

To perform a titration, you'll need a calibrated burette, a burette stand, multiple beakers or Erlenmeyer flasks, a measured amount of your analyte, and a large quantity of your titrant. To start off, drop a small amount of color indicator into your beaker of analyte. Then, agitate the beaker using a magnetic plate or by swirling it 4-5 times so the solution is fully mixed. Once your solution is ready, place it under the burette and open the stopcock. You should let the titrant drop into the analyte until the beaker solution changes color. Close the stopcock immediately and wait for 30 seconds. If the color remains, note down your results. Or, if it fades, open the stopcock again and wait until you have a permanent color. For more tips from our Science co-author, including how to setup and clean your equipment, read on! Did this summary help you? Yes No