Potentiometric Titration

Introduction
The aim of this type of experiment is to determine the end point of a neutralisation reaction between
acids and bases by continuous measurement of pH whilst small measured quantities of a suitable acid
or base are gradually added to a known volume of base or acid. Provided the concentration of one of
the reactants is known it should be possible to determine the concentration of the unknown by
examining the data obtained.
Generally speaking concentration of the acids and bases needs to be low to allow reasonable accuracy
when measuring relatively small volumes of chemicals and of course to minimise the inherent hazards
of the chemicals being used. This type of experiment may be carried out using the following
combinations of acid and base; strong acid + strong base, weak acid + strong base or strong acid +
weak base.
It would be prudent to use chemicals considered to be standard stock items for science education e.g.
hydrochloric acid or sulfuric acid for strong acids, sodium hydroxide or potassium hydroxide for strong
bases, sodium carbonate or sodium hydrogen carbonate for weak bases and ethanoic acid as a weak
acid. Ample information with about the hazards associated with these chemicals and preparation
techniques is widely available, full use of relevant information provided by CLEAPSS should be
considered to be the standard when preparing risk assessments.
Experimental
Equipment per Working Group
Burette 50 cm3
Bulb pipette 25 cm3
Small funnel
Conical flask or conical beaker 250 cm3
Wash bottle containing distilled water
Small plastic beakers 250 cm3, 100 cm3 & 50 cm3
Pipette filler
pH probe calibrated and supplied in storage solution
Dilute acids and bases 200 cm3 (concentrations typically in the range of 0.05 to 0.1M)
White tile (optional)
Acid base indicator (optional)
Eye or face protection
Clamp stand
Burette holder
Method
Unless the equipment used for titration is of a permanent nature (i.e. a dedicated titration bench) all of
the volumetric glassware should be rinsed with small quantities of the chemicals that they will be used
to dispense. Waste chemicals generated should be flushed away if safe to do so or poured into a
suitable container.
Use a small funnel to fill the burette with one of the chemicals (schools usually prefer the acid solution
to be used). Add slightly more than 50 cm3. It may be easier to do this with the burette held over a sink, the funnel should be
removed before starting the titration. Place the burette in a suitable clamp fitted to a stable clamp stand.

Transfer 25 cm3 of one of the chemicals under test to a clean conical flask using a suitable bulb pipette
and filler. If needed add a few drops of indicator.
Carefully remove the pH probe from the storage solution, gently rinse it using a steady stream of
distilled water from a wash bottle, carefully shake or wipe off any excess water do not touch the glass
bulb. Gently place the probe in the conical flask, the bulb of the probe needs to be immersed in the
chemical in the flask. Place the container of storage solution in a safe place.
Turn on the probe and wait for the reading to stabilise, record the value.
Ensure that the meniscus of the chemical in the burette is at or just below 0 by opening the tap while
the tip of the burette is over a suitable waste container (250 cm 3 plastic beaker), make sure there are
no air bubbles trapped in the tap mechanism. To avoid parallax error, it may be necessary to move the clamp stand onto a
lower stable surface as standard lab benches are often too high for the vertically challenged.

Make a note of the starting volume in the full and air bubble free burette. Place the flask and pH probe
under the tip of the burette, arrange the PH probe and flask so the stream of liquid from the burette
goes into the chemical in the flask, there should be enough room to allow gentle swirling of the flask
after each addition. If an indicator has been added a white tile should be placed under the flask.
Carefully open the burette tap and add 2 cm 3 of chemical to the flask. Gently swirl to mix the
chemicals, wait until the reading on the pH meter stabilises, record the value, keeping adding 2 cm 3
portions of chemical from the burette, record the stable meter reading after each addition, add up to a
total volume of 36 cm3.
Carefully the pH meter probe from the flask, gently rinse with distilled water and carefully return the
probe to the container of storage solution it was supplied in.
Drain the burette into the flask, empty the flask down a lab sink, fill the burette with distilled water from
the wash bottle drain it into the flask, empty the flask and repeat the rinsing process with distilled water.
Repeat the method with a different set of chemicals.