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Acid-Base Titrations

A titration curve plots pH as titrant is added. The equivalence point is where the moles of acid and base match the stoichiometry — and it is not always at pH 7 (a strong-weak titration reaches equivalence at an acidic or basic pH). The half-equivalence point is where pH = pKa.

UNIT 8 TOPIC 8.5 • ACID-BASE TITRATIONS TITRATION CURVES TITRATION CURVE · weak acid + strong base 0 7 14 pH neutral (pH 7) half-eq pH = pKa equivalence equivalence pH > 7 (basic) buffer region volume of base (titrant) added LAB SETUP titrant (standard base) analyte + indicator EQUIVALENCE vs ENDPOINT Equivalence: moles titrant = moles analyte (stoichiometric). Endpoint: indicator color change. CHOOSING AN INDICATOR Its color change should straddle the steep part of the curve — i.e. bracket the equivalence pH. EQUIVALENCE pH DEPENDS ON THE SYSTEM Weak acid + strong base equivalence pH > 7 (basic) excess conjugate base A⁻ ◀ this curve Strong acid + strong base equivalence pH = 7 (neutral) salt of neutral ions Weak base + strong acid equivalence pH < 7 (acidic) excess conjugate acid AP Chemistry · Unit 8 · Acids and Bases
A titration curve plots pH against titrant added. The equivalence point is where the moles match the stoichiometry — not necessarily pH 7. The half-equivalence point is where pH = pKa. Landmarks are set by moles, not by equal volumes.
Titration Curve · Open the sandbox →

The traps assume the equivalence point is neutral (only strong-strong titrations reach pH 7), confuse the titration landmarks, and set equivalence by equal volume rather than matched moles. Read the curve by the mole relationships, not by pH 7 or equal volumes.

The work

3 ways in · any order
Lesson
Titrations

A titration curve's equivalence point is set by moles (not always pH 7), and half-equivalence is where pH = pKa. The lesson reads the landmarks, then closes with a ten-scenario check.

Skill check · 10 scenarios
Diagnostic
10-item topic check

Ten items spanning the Topic 8.5 misconceptions: the equivalence point assumed neutral, titration landmarks confused, and equivalence set by volume instead of matched moles.

Not started · 10 items · ~15 min
Targeted Practice
Drill a single misconception

Pick one of the failure modes you missed and drill it on its own. The round is adaptive: two correct in a row clears the misconception and moves you to the next.

Take the diagnostic to identify your misconceptions