Welcome to Titration Lab 1, an interactive simulation designed to support Leaving Certificate Chemistry students and teachers in Ireland. The simulation provides an opportunity to explore and practise the techniques, procedures and calculations involved in three mandatory titration experiments in the Leaving Certificate Chemistry course.
By completing these simulations, students should be able to:
Follow the steps below to complete each experiment and practise the techniques used in a titration.
This work was supported by Research Ireland, with Enterprise Partner Eli Lilly Kinsale Limited, trading as Eli Lilly Limerick.
What is titration? Titration is a quantitative analytical technique used to determine the concentration of an unknown solution by reacting it with a solution of known concentration. In acid–base titrations, an acid reacts with a base according to a chemical equation. By measuring the volume of solution required for complete reaction, we can calculate the unknown concentration using chemical equations and mole ratios.
Titration developed as chemists sought reliable ways to measure the composition and concentration of substances. During the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, quantitative chemical analysis became increasingly important in laboratories and industry. Titration evolved into a fundamental analytical method because it allows chemists to obtain quantitative results using carefully measured volumes of reacting solutions. Today, it remains widely used in education, medicine, environmental monitoring, food production and pharmaceutical quality control.
In a typical acid–base titration, a measured volume of the solution being analysed is transferred into a conical flask using a pipette. A solution of known concentration is placed in a burette and added gradually to the flask. An indicator helps identify the end point by changing colour.
The aim is to determine the volume of titrant needed to react completely with the substance in the flask. At the equivalence point, the reacting substances are present in the exact stoichiometric proportions described by the balanced chemical equation. The experimentally observed end point is the indicator's colour change and should be as close as possible to the equivalence point.
Titration calculations are based on the relationship between concentration, volume and the amount of substance present. Concentration is commonly expressed in moles per litre (mol L-1), and the amount of substance can be calculated using:
Amount of substance (mol) = concentration (mol L-1) × volume (L)
Once the balanced chemical equation is known, the mole ratio can be used to determine the unknown concentration. Remember to convert volumes from millilitres to litres when using concentration in mol L-1.
Titration connects practical laboratory skills with the chemical calculations studied in the Leaving Certificate Chemistry course. These experiments help students develop accuracy, careful observation, safe laboratory practice and confidence in quantitative problem-solving. They also demonstrate how chemists determine concentrations in real-world samples, such as vinegar, and prepare salts through neutralisation reactions.
Review the balanced chemical equation, identify the known and unknown concentrations, select a suitable indicator and consider the mole ratio before starting each experiment. During the simulation, pay attention to burette readings, the indicator's colour change and the titre values you record.