What is the purpose of titrations?

The purpose of titrations is to determine the precise volume of one solution needed to completely react with a given volume of another solution. In the context of acids and bases, this typically involves measuring how much acid is required to neutralize a specific quantity of alkali (or vice versa). During the titration process, indicators are often used to signal when the reaction is complete, thus allowing for accurate measurement of the necessary volumes.

In this procedure, the gradual addition of the acid to the alkali allows for the precise point of neutralization to be identified, which is crucial for calculating the concentrations of the solutions involved. This makes titrations a widely used technique in various fields such as chemistry, biology, and environmental science for quantitative analysis.

The other options do not correctly represent the typical application of titrations. Neutralizing an acid with another acid does not align with the common goal of titration procedures. Increasing the concentration of a solution does not pertain to the chemical reactions being observed during titration. Lastly, separating compounds in a mixture falls under different chemical techniques, such as chromatography, and is not associated with titration practices.