What is the Difference Between Acid-Base Titration and Redox Titration?

The main difference between acid-base titration and redox titration lies in the nature of the reactions involved. Here are the key differences between the two types of titrations:

• Acid-Base Titration: In acid-base titrations, a neutralization reaction takes place between an acid and a base. The reaction type is an acid-base neutralization reaction, with the formation of water as a by-product. Examples of acids used in acidic titrations are H2SO4, HCl, or HNO3, while mostly used basic titrants are NaOH, K2CO3, or Na2CO3.
• Redox Titration: In redox titrations, a redox reaction involving an oxidation and a reduction reaction takes place simultaneously. Redox titrations involve the titration of reducing or oxidizing agents. The ‘d’ block elements such as Fe2+/Fe3+, Cr3+/Cr6+, Mn7+/Mn2+ commonly take part in redox reactions as they have variable oxidation numbers.

Both acid-base and redox titrations are used to determine the concentration of an unknown solution (analyte) by reacting it with a known concentration of another solution (titrant). The endpoint of the reaction, also known as the end point of the titration, can be determined in several ways, such as using indicator electrodes, redox indicators, or non-redox indicators.

Comparative Table: Acid-Base Titration vs Redox Titration

Here is a table comparing the differences between acid-base titration and redox titration:

In summary, acid-base titrations involve neutralization reactions between acids and bases, while redox titrations involve oxidation-reduction reactions between redox species. Acid-base indicators are used to determine the endpoint of the reaction in acid-base titrations, while redox indicators or electrochemical sensors are used in redox titrations.