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Q.What is the indicator used for the titration between oxalic acid and sodium hydroxide ? Justify your answer with suitable reason.

Tamil Nadu DgeTamil Nadu HSC (DGE) Board 2018Subjective· 3mImportance★★★★★
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Phenolphthalein is the correct indicator for oxalic acid vs NaOH because the salt formed (sodium oxalate) hydrolyses to give an alkaline solution at the equivalence point, and only phenolphthalein's transition range covers that alkaline pH.

The titration: Oxalic acid, (COOH)2(COOH)_2, is a weak diprotic acid; sodium hydroxide is a strong base.

(COOH)2+2NaOH→(COONa)2+2H2O(COOH)_2 + 2NaOH \rightarrow (COONa)_2 + 2H_2O

Nature of the equivalence point: The product, sodium oxalate, is the salt of a weak acid and a strong base. The oxalate ion undergoes hydrolysis in water:

C2O42−+H2O⇌HC2O4−+OH−C_2O_4^{2-} + H_2O \rightleftharpoons HC_2O_4^- + OH^-

This hydrolysis releases OH−OH^- ions, so at the exact equivalence point the solution is not neutral but distinctly alkaline, with pH typically around 8–9.

Choice of indicator: An indicator must change colour exactly over the pH range through which the titration's pH jumps at the equivalence point.

  • Phenolphthalein changes colour (colourless → pink) over pH 8.3–10, which matches the alkaline equivalence-point pH of this titration — correct choice. …

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