Final answer:
Acid-base titration is used to determine the volume of base needed to neutralize a given mass of acid. The titrant's known concentration and the color change in the indicator or the pH meter reading indicate the endpoint of the titration.
Step-by-step explanation:
The process of determining the volume of base needed to titrate a given mass of acid is known as acid-base titration, which is a type of volumetric analysis. To perform an acid-base titration, a solution of base with a known concentration, called the standard or titrant, is added to the acid of unknown concentration until the endpoint is reached, indicated by a color change of an indicator or by a pH meter reading. This process involves the following steps:
- Calculate the moles of the standard solution (titrant) by multiplying its volume in liters by its molarity.
- Use the balanced chemical equation to determine the moles of analyte (the acid with unknown concentration) that reacted with the titrant.
- Calculate the molarity of the analyte by dividing its moles by the volume in liters.
This technique is a fundamental practice in chemistry used to measure substance concentrations and involves precise calculations and a clear understanding of stoichiometry.