Story and photos by Kyle Schledwitz/COMM 1318
Drip by drip, students in CHEM 1412, General Chemistry II, recently solved a mystery in a color reveal titration lab.
According to South Plains College Chemistry Professor Laci Alexander, titration is a good way to figure out the “unknown” of a solution.
In this lab, students added one drop at a time to the solution in a beaker and waited for it to change color. The “unknown” was how acidic or basic the solution was.
“So, in order to change color,” Alexander says, “you have to have the indicator in there. And the indicator that we use is phenolphthalein solution. And that particular solution stays clear when it’s in an acidic solution. And then it turns pink when it goes to a basic solution.”
The seven photos below were taken over about 30 seconds time. By the last drop, the solution was much darker.
The hardest part of the lab? “Patience,” says Alexander. That’s because she says students can only add one drop at a time to achieve results.
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