Science Buddies: "Ask an Expert"

Is there a way to substitute the Titration expenses with a much cheaper DIY version? If there is could you state a way or how it could be done? Thank you.


Moderator: I found your question buried at the bottom of another thread. I've moved it to a new topic so the experts will see it and help you!

Hi Nickx04,

This is a very interesting project! To confirm, this is the experiment you are looking at: https://www.sciencebuddies.org/science- ... ml#summary ? Iodine titration is really the most accurate way to determine the concentration of Vitamin C. If you are concerned about the price of the equipment, you may want to ask a nearby high school or your middle school to borrow the more simple materials such as the Erlenmeyer Flask, graduated cylinder, ring stand, buret, beaker, lab apron, and eye dropper. This may cut your cost significantly. This experiment is very advanced, so you may want to look into an alternative experiment where DIY is possible. There are some “Homemade” experiments along the lines of yours, that use a DIY test to determine the quantity of an unknown substance. One I found online is this: https://publiclab.org/notes/homechemist ... f-a-sample . Titration kits can be reused, so it may be a good investment if you see yourself doing multiple titration projects in the future.

Hope this helps!
~Catherine M.