Scribd Logo
Upload

Welcome to Scribd!

  • 107 views

    Indicators

    Uploaded by

    AhmadAwan
    Indicators are substances used to determine the endpoint in acid-base titrations, with organic weak acids or bases commonly used. Certain chemicals change color between acidic and basic solutions based on their pH, making them useful as acid-base indicators. The document discusses indicator theory, selection of suitable indicators for different types of titrations between strong and weak acids and bases based on the pH change near the equivalence point.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd

    Indicators

    Uploaded by

    AhmadAwan
    107 views16 pages
    Indicators are substances used to determine the endpoint in acid-base titrations, with organic weak acids or bases commonly used. Certain chemicals change color between acidic and basic solutions based on their pH, making them useful as acid-base indicators. The document discusses indicator theory, selection of suitable indicators for different types of titrations between strong and weak acids and bases based on the pH change near the equivalence point.

    Copyright

    © © All Rights Reserved

    Available Formats

    PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd

    Did you find this document useful?

    Is this content inappropriate?

    Indicators are substances used to determine the endpoint in acid-base titrations, with organic weak acids or bases commonly used. Certain chemicals change color between acidic and basic solutions based on their pH, making them useful as acid-base indicators. The document discusses indicator theory, selection of suitable indicators for different types of titrations between strong and weak acids and bases based on the pH change near the equivalence point.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    107 views16 pages

    Indicators

    Uploaded by

    AhmadAwan
    Indicators are substances used to determine the endpoint in acid-base titrations, with organic weak acids or bases commonly used. Certain chemicals change color between acidic and basic solutions based on their pH, making them useful as acid-base indicators. The document discusses indicator theory, selection of suitable indicators for different types of titrations between strong and weak acids and bases based on the pH change near the equivalence point.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    of 16

    Indicators

    1
    INDICATORS Indicators are frequently weak acids or weak bases
    An indicator is a substance which is used to determine the end point in a titration. In acid-base titrations, organic
    substances (weak acids or weak bases) are generally used as indicators.
    Certain chemicals have the special property of appearing one colour when in a solution of one pH and a different colour
    when in a solution of a different pH. Such chemicals are known as acid-base indicators, or simply as indicators. The
    colour change and the pH range of some common indicators are tabulated below:

    2
    Theory of acid-base indicators: How Indicators Work??

    Two theories have been proposed to explain the change of colour of acid-base indicators.

    1. Ostwald's theory:
    2. Quinonoid Theory

    4
    5
    6
    7
    This theory also explains the reason why
    phenolphthalein is not a suitable indicator for
    titrating a weak base against strong acid. The
    OH" ions furnished by a weak base are not
    sufficient to shift the equilibrium towards right
    hand side considerably, i.e., pH is not reached to
    8.3. Thus, the solution does not attain pink
    colour. Similarly, it can be explained why methyl
    orange is not a suitable indicator for the
    titration of weak acid with strong base

    8
    9
    Methyl orange has quinonoid form in acidic solution and benzenoid form in alkaline
    solution. The color of benzenoid form is yellow while that of quinoniod form is red.

    10
    11
    Selection of suitable indicator or choice of indicator
    The neutralisation reactions are of the following four types:
    (i) A strong acid versus a strong base.
    (ii) (ii) A weak acid versus a strong base.
    (iii) A strong acid versus a weak base.
    (iv) A weak acid versus a weak base.

    12
    In order to choose a suitable indicator, it is necessary to understand the pH
    changes in the above four types of titrations. The change in pH in the vicinity
    of theequivalence point is most important for this purpose. The curve obtained
    by plotting pH as ordinate against the
    volume of alkali added as abscissa is known as neutralisation or titration
    curve. The titration curves of the above four types of neutralisation reactions
    are shown in Fig.. In each case 25 mL of the acid (N/10) has been titrated
    against a standard solution of a base (N/10). Each titration curve becomes
    almost vertical for some distance (except curve 10.4) and then bends away
    again. This region of abrupt change in pH indicates the equivalence point. For
    a particular titration, the indicator should be so selected that it changes its
    colour within vertical distance of the curve.

    13
    (i) Strong acid vs. strong base: pH curve of strong acid (say HCI) and strong base (say NaOH)
    is vertical over almost the pH range 4-10. So the indicators phenolphthalein (pH range 8.3
    to 10.5), methyl red (pH range 4.4-6.5) and methyl orange (pH range 3.2-4.5) are suitable
    for such a titration.

    (ii) Weak acid vs. weak base:


    pH curve of weak acid (say CH COOH or oxalic acid) and strong base (say NaOH) is vertical over the
    3

    approximate pH range 7 to 11. So phenolphthalein is the suitable indicator for such a titration.

    14
    (iii) Strong acid vs. weak base:
    pH curve of strong acid (say HCl or H2SO4 or HNO3) with a weak base (say NH4OH) is vertical over
    the pH range of 4 to 7. So the indicators methyl red and methyl orange are suitable for such a
    titration.

    (iv) Weak acid vs. weak base:


    pH curve of weak acid and weak base indicates that there is no vertical part and hence, no
    suitable indicator can be used for such a titration.
    • [email protected]

    You might also like