Acid–base titration laboratories
are perennially offered
to general chemistry students in preparation for summative assessments
of their hands-on and quantitative skills in the field. Here, we present
a guided inquiry-based activity focused on total titratable acidity
(TTA) as alternative to standard “cookbook” titration
laboratory work. This activity is cost-neutral compared with traditional
acid–base or buffer titration laboratory activities and introduces
students to the iteration and revision aspects of inquiry and independent
research. By incorporating TTA as the main quantity to be measured
by students, the laboratory activity also introduces an authentic,
job-relevant methodology in their first year of undergraduate study.
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