Britannica
Sources used in this answer
How does volumetric analysis determine the concentration of a solution?
Created from Britannica articles
using AI.
AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
chemical analysis
Strip of pH paper resting on specimen, with a comparison chart.
Volumetric analysis, also known as titrimetric analysis, determines the concentration of a substance by measuring the volume of a reagent required to react completely with it.12
The process typically involves the following steps:
- Titration: A standard solutionāa reagent with a precisely known concentration, called a titrantāis gradually added to the sample from a burette.32
- Equivalence Point: The reaction continues until the equivalence point is reached, where the amount of titrant added is chemically equivalent to the amount of the constituent being measured.32
- End Point Detection: Because the equivalence point is often not directly visible, a chemical indicator is used to signal the end point through a color change or an electrical measurement.32
- Calculation: By using the known concentration of the titrant and the measured volume required to reach the end point, the concentration of the analyte can be calculated based on the definite, known proportions of the chemical reaction.32