How to Interpret Titration Curves

How to Interpret Titration Curves

find the equivalence point

things to do first

it is the steepest part of the curve where the pH

rises the fastest
the equivalence point can be used to determine
the equivalent weight (molar mass) of the acid

graph your data as seen in the next slide

make sure you turn on the major and minor tick
marks on both axes
right click on the axis, choose Format Axis, change
Major/Minor Tick Mark settings

find the mid point

located in the center of the buffer region
geometrically halfway between the equivalence
point and the beginning of the titration
sometimes it is a little more complicated than this
- see the example
the midpoint determines the pKa of the acid

Is there enough precision in the tick marks?

you should have at least 1 mL or smaller for the minor
tick mark on the x-axis
you should have at least 0.2 pH units or smaller for the
minor tick mark on the y-axis
Format Axis, change Major/Minor Units

Two Different Methods

A Typical Titration Curve

there are two methods of analysis that will be

shown

Weak Acid Titration Curve

geometric method

12

requires a ruler, a pencil, and the titration graph

mid point

10

1st derivative method

equivalence
point

pH

requires a spreadsheet and some formula entries

gives you cool graphs with the 1st derivative pointing
to the equivalence and mid points
scores you brownie points with the instructors

6
4
2
0

pick your method (either will work)

10

20

30

40

50

Net Titrant Volume Added (mL)

Find the Equivalence Point

(Geometric method)
Weak Acid Titration Curve

3) using a ruler, Weak Acid Titration Curve

measure the distance
12
between
the top
intersection
and the
10
bottom intersection

equivalence
point

8
6

pH

pH

1) using a ruler,
draw lines that
12
follow
the flat,
more
10horizontal
part of the curve

Find the Equivalence Point

(Geometric method)

2) draw a line that

follows the flat,
more vertical part
of the curve

4
2
0

10

20

30

Buret Volume (mL)

40

50

8
6

equivalence
point

4) the geometric
center of this line
segment is the
equivalence point

4
2
0

10

20

30

40

50

Buret Volume (mL)

Find the Equivalence Point

(Geometric method)

Find the Mid Point (Geometric

method)

Weak Acid Titration Curve

Weak
Acid
Curve
1) if there is a steep
rise in
the Titration
pH
at the beginning of the graph,
12
draw a line that follows the steep
part
10 of the curve

equivalence
point

6) where the line

crosses the x-axis is
the volume at the
equivalence point

6
4
2
0

10

20

30

pH

pH

5) draw a vertical
12
line from the
10 equivalence point
to the x-axis

8
6
4

mid point

(28.7 mL
in this case)
40
50

10

Buret Volume (mL)

Find the Mid Point (Geometric

method)

10

mid point

pH

pH

equivalence
point

5) where the line crosses

the y-axis is the pH at
the equivalence point

6
4

mid point

(pH = 7.2 in this case)

2
0

10

20

30

50

12

3) the geometric center

between these points is
the mid point

40

Weak
Titration Curve
4) draw a horizontal
line Acid
from the
mid point to the y-axis
equivalence
point

30

Find the Mid Point (Geometric

method)

Weak Acid
2) using a ruler, measure
the Titration Curve
distance between the far left and
12
right intersections
10

20

Buret Volume (mL)

40

50

Buret Volume (mL)

10

20

30

40

50

Buret Volume (mL)

How to Interpret Titration Curves

How to Interpret Titration Curves

find the equivalence point

find the mid point

make sure you subtract the initial buret volume!

in this case, the initial buret volume was 1.07 mL
true equiv. pt. = 28.7 mL - 1.07 mL = 27.63 mL
the 3 is the indicate the limit of the significant
figures

mid pt = 7.2 = pKa of the acid

calculate the equivalent weight (molar mass)

equiv. wt. = (acid mass)/[(NaOH conc)(equiv. pt.)]
equiv. wt. = (430.2 mg)/[(0.1139 M)(27.63mL)]
equiv. wt. = 136.699 = 137 g/mol

Find the Equivalence Point

(derivative method)

For you Excel Aficionados

equivalence point
use the first derivative d pH / d Vol
plot volume as x and 1st derivative as y in a 2nd series on graph
the spike in the graph points to the equiv. pt.

Weak Acid Titration Curve

6

1)1)identify
identify
volume
volume
10
value
value
atatthethe
peak
peak

make a new graph and reverse the axes for the pH curve
pH

x axis = pH values; y-axis = Vol values

use the first derivative d Vol / d pH

plot pH as x and 1st derivative as y in a 2nd series on graph
the spike in the graph points to the mid point

pH

1st deriv.

8
(28.5
mL in this case)

use extra columns in the spreadsheet to make these calcs

equiv. pt. deriv. (d pH / d Vol) = (pH2 - pH1)/(Vol2 - Vol1)
midpoint deriv. (d Vol / d pH) = (Vol2 - Vol1)/ (pH2 - pH1)

1st Derivative (mL -1)

7
12

mid point

0
0

10

20

30

40

50

Buret Volume (mL)

or just the reciprocal of the equiv. pt. derivative

Find the Mid Point (derivative

method)
Weak Acid Titration Curve
45
40 =
(pH
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
2

40

7.3 in this case)

mL

35

1st deriv.

30

1st Derivative (mL)

Buret Volume (mL)

50
1)
identify pH value at the peak

25
20
15
10
5
0
4

10

12

pH