This common misconceptions covers Common Misconceptions within Titrations (HT) for GCSE Chemistry. Revise Titrations (HT) in Quantitative Chemistry for GCSE Chemistry with 22 exam-style questions and 20 flashcards. This topic shows up very often in GCSE exams, so students should be able to explain it clearly, not just recognise the term. It is section 10 of 14 in this topic. Use this common misconceptions to connect the idea to the wider topic before moving on to questions and flashcards.
⚠️ Common Misconceptions
Misconception 1: "You add the indicator to the burette"
The indicator always goes into the conical flask, not the burette. It needs to be in the solution where you are watching for the colour change. Adding it to the burette would contaminate the standard solution and the colour change would be invisible.
Misconception 2: "You should take the average of all results"
You only average the concordant results (those within 0.10 cm³ of each other). The first rough titration is always discarded — it is used only to find the approximate endpoint. Anomalous results must be identified and excluded before calculating the mean.
Misconception 3: "The endpoint is the same as pH 7"
The endpoint depends on the indicator chosen. Phenolphthalein changes colour slightly above neutral, while methyl orange changes colour slightly below neutral. For a strong acid/strong alkali titration the pH at the equivalence point is 7, but the indicator may change colour slightly before or after this point depending on which indicator is used.
Practice questions for Titrations (HT)
What is the purpose of a titration?
Explain why the burette should be rinsed with the acid solution before filling it for a titration.