Titration Competition - Victoria
The Royal Australian Chemical Institute (RACI) Victorian Branch is pleased to invite your school to participate in the 2023 Victorian State Titration Competition. Over 900 students from Victorian schools participated in the 2022 competition. The overwhelming response to the competition in recent years has been very positive, and we are sure that your students will enjoy the experience.
The competition is open to all students enrolled in VCE Chemistry or IB Chemistry classes in Victoria. The students will compete in their school laboratories in teams of three. The members of a team may be from the same year level or from different year levels.
By participating in the competition, each team member will have an opportunity to practice their science investigation skills by performing two series of acid-base titrations to determine the concentration of a solution of diluted vinegar.
Each student in a team will be responsible for determining the concentration of one of three solutions of NaOH, using a supplied solution of HCl, then determining the concentration of one of three solutions of diluted vinegar. Each school will be supplied with a kit containing a solution of 0.1000 M HCl, three solutions of NaOH of different concentrations and three solutions of diluted vinegar of different concentrations for each team. The students must work together to agree on their measurements and calculations.
The challenge for each team of three is to perform the total of six sets of titrations and all calculations, then report their results and findings on an online Google form, within a time limit of 2 hours. (They will be given time to read the instructions and to set up their equipment before the timing begins.) Teams will be ranked on the accuracy and precision of their determined concentrations of the three vinegar solutions.
Key information
- There is no limit on the number of teams schools can register.
- The entry fee per team is $58.50
- The closing date for registering your teams is Thursday 28 April 2023.
The kits containing the solutions of HCl, NaOH and diluted vinegar will be delivered to the schools by the end of July.
We have had to increase the cost of the kits this year. Whilst every effort in the past has been made to keep the kits at the same low price. This is no longer a sustainable option.
The schools will be sent the electronic copies of the instructions for each team and instructions for the supervising teachers during Term 2. Each team member will need to be given a print copy of the team instructions at the time they compete. The competition closes and all results must be submitted on the Google forms by 5 pm on Friday 1 September 2023.
Schools will be notified of their teams’ results by Friday 6 October.
The top-placed team in the Victorian Competition will be awarded the Jenny Sharwood Shield, which has been named by RACI in recognition of Jenny’s lifetime service to chemistry education. Other prizes will be awarded to the top performing teams in the State Competition and certificates of recognition will be sent to the schools with winning teams.
Entry into National Competition level will be able to go ahead this year for Victorian Students who are in the top teams.
Good luck!
Dr Rajesh Ramanathan, Chair, RACI Victorian Branch
Competition Download Documents
Information for Teachers
Information for Students