Question

Why is it not practical to titrate an acid or base that is too weak or too dilute?

Short answer

It is not feasible to titrate an acid or a base that is too weak because the inflection point, which is so close to the corresponding point, shrinks and becomes more difficult to detect.

Step-by-step solution

Define titration curve.

• The plot of the pH of the analyte solution versus the volume of the titrant added as the titration advances is known as a titration curve.

• Titration curves demonstrate how the pH of a solution varies when a known chemical is added to it, therefore each point along the curve offers you information on the pH of the solution as the volume of the known chemical grows.

Reason for not titrating an acid or a base that is too dilute.

• Inflection point and equivalence points are the two points that are easy to identify in a titration curve.

• Weak acids are rarely titrated against weak bases because the color shift caused by the indicator is generally rapid, making it difficult for the viewer to perceive the change.

• The titration can be completed with just one drop, which is far too tiny to rely on.

• As the concentration and/or intensity of the acid/base drop, it becomes more difficult to detect the end of the titration.