Wednesday, March 2, 2022

Why is methyl orange a suitable indicator for titrating weak base and strong acid?

Because it changes from a basic to an acidic color, methyl orange is a suitable chemical indicator in strong acid weak base titration.

The equivalence point of a strong acid vs weak base is about pH 3.5 and 6.5. As a result, an indicator that changes color within this range is required. For this, methyl orange is the most suitable indicator, because it sharply changes color in that region, therefore the endpoint and equivalence point should be the same.

Why is methyl orange a suitable indicator for titrating weak base and strong acid?

Methyl orange (C14H14N3NaO3S) is a synthetic indicator commonly used as a pH indicator since it provides simple and distinct color changes throughout its pH range. It has a pH range of 3.1 to 4.4 and the color of the methyl orange indicator in an acidic medium is red, while yellow in a basic medium.

In titration, methyl orange is a widely employed indicator. As it turns red below pH 3.3 and yellow above pH 4.4, consequently, it is a helpful indicator for discriminating between strong/weak acids.

Acid-base reactions generally involve attempting to achieve pH 7.0 – a neutral solution. However, methyl orange turns yellow at pH 4.4 and above, making it unsuitable to represent the endpoint of the neutralization reaction. Alternatives such as phenolphthalein are becoming more popular.

Frequently Asked Question (FAQ):


Can we use methyl orange for strong acid strong base titration?

Methyl orange is not commonly used in strong acid-strong base titrations, because of its changes in color in the pH range of 3 to 5. A pH of roughly 7.00 is obtained by titrating a strong acid and a strong base. As a result, phenolphthalein is a suitable indication.

For which titration would methyl orange be a suitable indicator?

Methyl orange is a good chemical indicator in strong acid weak base titration as it changes its basic color to acidic color.

Which indicator is used in the titration of Na2CO3 against HCl?

The sodium carbonate content of a sample is determined using methyl orange as an indicator in a titration against standard hydrochloric acid.


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