A simple analogy for back titration is presented. A child is sent into a candy store with a known amount of money in order to purchase a candy bar and the cost of the bar is subsequently determined by counting the amount of change the child brings back. This is analogous to adding excess acid to a base and determining how much base was present by titrating the unreacted acid. The analogy is extended to illustrate what happens when an acidic or basic impurity is present in the system and is further developed to cover a situation in which the acid and unknown base react in a 2:1 ratio rather than a 1:1 ratio.
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Citation
Last, Arthur M. . J. Chem. Educ.1998 75 1121.
Keywords
introductory, high school chem, teaching, learning aids, quant analysis, gravimetry, titrimetry, acid-base chem
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