A titration curve is a curve in graph the x-coordinate of which represents the volume of titrant added since the beginning of the titration, and the y-coordinate of which represents the concentration of the analyte at the corresponding stage of the titration (in an acid–base titration, the y-coordinate usually represents the pH of the solution).
In an acid–base titration, the titration curve represents the strength of the corresponding acid and base. For a strong acid and a strong base, the curve will be relatively smooth and very steep near the equivalence point. Because of this, a small change in titrant volume near the equivalence point results in a large pH change and many indicators would be appropriate (for instance litmus, phenolphthalein or bromothymol blue).
If one reagent is a weak acid or base and the other is a strong acid or base, the titration curve is irregular and the pH shifts less with small additions of titrant near the equivalence point. For example, the titration curve for the titration between oxalic acid (a weak acid) and sodium hydroxide (a strong base) is pictured. The equivalence point occurs between pH 8-10, indicating the solution is basic at the equivalence point and an indicator such as phenolphthalein would be appropriate. Titration curves corresponding to weak bases and strong acids are similarly behaved, with the solution being acidic at the equivalence point and indicators such as methyl orange and bromothymol blue being most appropriate.
Titrations between a weak acid and a weak base have titration curves which are very irregular. Because of this, no definite indicator may be appropriate and a pH meter is often used to monitor the reaction.
The type of function that can be used to describe the curve is termed a sigmoid function.