Sometimes it is necessary to draw up a table which will show, without calculation, the weight of substance equivalent to a given volume of gas or of solution. The substance used for standardising should be, whenever possible, a pure sample of the substance to be determined—that is, for copper assays pure copper should be used, for iron assays pure iron, and so on; but when this cannot be got an impure substance may be used, provided it contains a known percentage of the metal, and that the impurities present are not such as will interfere with the accuracy of the assay. Including compounds with these, the standard may be calculated by multiplying the standard got in the usual way, by the percentage of metal in the compound or impure substance, and dividing by 100. If, for example, the standard 1.008 gram was obtained by using a sample of iron containing 99.7 per cent. of metal, the corrected standard would be 1.008×99.7/100 = 1.005.
In volumetric analysis the change brought about must be one in which the end of the reaction is rendered prominent either by a change of colour or by the presence or absence of a precipitate. If the end of the reaction or finishing-point is not of itself visible, then it must be rendered visible by the use of a third reagent called an indicator.
For example, the action of sulphuric acid upon soda results in nothing which makes the action conspicuous; if, however, litmus or phenolphthalein be added the change from blue to red in the first case, or from red to colourless in the second, renders the finishing-point evident. Some indicators cannot be added to the assay solution without spoiling the result; in which case portions of the assay solution must be withdrawn from time to time and tested. This withdrawal of portions of the assay solution, if rashly done, must result in loss; if, however, the solution is not concentrated, and if the portions are only withdrawn towards the end of the titration, the loss is very trifling, and will not show-up on the result. The usual plan adopted is to have a solution of the indicator placed in drops at fairly equal intervals distributed over a clean and dry white porcelain-plate: a drop or two of the solution to be tested is then brought in contact with one of these and the effect noted. Another plan is to have thin blotting-paper, moistened with a solution of the indicator and dried; a drop of the solution to be tested placed on this shows the characteristic change. When the assay solution contains a suspended solid which interferes with the test, a prepared paper covered with an ordinary filter-paper answers very well; a drop of the solution to be tested is placed on the filter-paper, and, sinking through, shows its effect on the paper below.
Except when otherwise stated, all titrations should be made at the ordinary temperature; cooling, if necessary, by holding the flask under the tap. When a titration is directed to be made in a boiling solution, it must be remembered that the standard solution is cold, and that every addition lowers the temperature of the assay.
On running the solution from the burette into the assay, do not let it run down the side of the flask. If a portion of the assay has to be withdrawn for testing, shake the flask to ensure mixing, and then take out a drop with the test-rod; the neglect of these precautions may give a finishing-point too early. This is generally indicated by a sudden finish, in which case on shaking the flask and again testing no reaction is got. Do not remove the drop on the point of the burette with the test-rod; let it remain where it is or drop it into the solution by carefully opening the clip.
Generally the methods of working are as follows:—
(1) When the finishing-point depends on a change of colour in the solution.—Increase the bulk of the assay up to from 100 to 150 c.c. with water. Boil or cool, as the case may be. Run in the standard solution from a burette speedily, until the re-agent appears to have a slower action, and shake or stir all the time. Then run 1 c.c. or so at a time, still stirring, and finally add drops until the colour change is got.
(2) When an outside-indicator is used.—Pour the standard solution from a burette into the assay until 5 or 6 c.c. from the finishing-point; then run in 1 c.c. at a time (stirring and testing on the plate between each) until the indicator shows the change wanted, and deduct 0.5 c.c. for excess. When greater accuracy is sought for a duplicate assay is made. In this case the standard solution is run in close up to the end, and the operation is finished off with a few drops at a time.
(3) Where the finishing-point depends upon the absence of a precipitate and no outside-indicator is used.—As in the last case, run in the standard solution up to within a few c.c. of the end, then run in 1 c.c. at a time until a precipitate is no longer formed, but here 1.5 c.c. must be deducted for excess, since it is evident that the whole of the last "c.c." must have been, and a portion of the previous one may have been, in excess.
Indirect Titration.—The action of permanganate of potash upon a ferrous solution is one of oxidation, hence it is evident that if any other oxidising agent is present it will count as permanganate. In such a case the titration can be used (indirectly) to estimate the quantity of such oxidising agent, by determining how much less of the permanganate is used. For example, suppose that 1 gram of iron dissolved in sulphuric acid requires 100 c.c. of standard permanganate to fully oxidise it, but that the same amount of iron only requires 35.6 c.c. of the same standard permanganate if it has been previously heated with 0.5 gram of black oxide of manganese. Here it is evident that 0.5 gram of black oxide does the work of 64.4 c.c.[4] of the permanganate solution, and that these quantities are equivalent; moreover, if 64.4 c.c. correspond with 0.5 gram, then 100 c.c. correspond with 0.7764 which is the standard. On theoretical grounds, and by a method of calculation which will be explained further on (under the heading "Calculations from Formulæ"), it can be found that if the standard for iron is 1 gram, that for the black oxide will be 0.7764 gram.