What is the primary purpose of a titration?

The primary purpose of a titration is to determine the concentration of a solute in a solution. This analytical technique involves carefully adding a titrant, which is a solution of known concentration, to a solution of unknown concentration until a reaction between the two is complete. Typically, this point of completion is indicated by a change in color (using an indicator) or by reaching a certain pH level, depending on the type of titration being conducted.

Titration is widely used in various fields, including chemistry, biology, and environmental science, to calculate the molarity of an unknown solution based on the volume of titrant used. By knowing the concentration of the titrant and measuring how much is needed to react with the solute, one can use stoichiometric relationships to find the unknown concentration.

The other options do not align with the purpose of titration. Mixing two solids does not measure concentration, measuring temperature assesses thermal properties rather than chemical concentration, and identifying a chemical reaction type does not inherently involve determining solute concentrations. Thus, the focus and utility of titration lie specifically in the quantification of solute concentration in a solution.