Answer to Question #335633 in Inorganic Chemistry for Isa

Question

What is the relationship between equilibrium constants of acid-base, complexometric, precipitation, and redox titration and the feasibility of titration? What are the similarities and differences of the four types of titration? Are there other factors that need to be considered when assessing the feasibility of titration?

Answer 1

In acid-base titrations, a neutralization reaction takes place and in redox titrations, a redox reaction takes place (an oxidizing reaction and a reduction reaction). The use of indicators is the most commonly used method of determining the endpoint of the reaction.

Before we start discussing about titration and titration curves, we should quickly refresh the concept of a weak/strong acid and weak/strong base.

A strong acid dissociates (or ionizes) completely in aqueous solution to form hydronium ions (H_{3}

3

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start subscript, 3, end subscript

O^\text{+}

+

start superscript, start text, plus, end text, end superscript

)

Diagram of strong acid ionizing to form hydronium ions

A weak acid does not dissociate completely in aqueous solution to form hydronium ions (H_{3}

3

​

start subscript, 3, end subscript

O^\text{+}

+

start superscript, start text, plus, end text, end superscript

)

Diagram of weak acid not dissociating completely to form hydronium ions

A strong base dissociates completely in aqueous solution to form hydroxide ions (OH^\text{-}

-

start superscript, start text, negative, end text, end superscript

)

Diagram of strong base dissociating to form hydroxide ions

A weak base does not dissociate completely in aqueous solution to form hydroxide ions (OH^\text{-}

-

start superscript, start text, negative, end text, end superscript

)

Diagram of weak base not dissociating completely to form hydroxide ions

Examples of weak/strong acids and bases