THE STORY BEHIND THE TERM

posted 10/15/00

titrate The term titrate comes from the French titre, equivalent to the English title. Title originally meant the qualification for a post or authorization for a certain conduct. The French variation meant the quality which validated authority. The term entered chemistry through metallurgy: the titre (purity or quality) of gold or silver was determined by subjecting a sample to the appropriate acid and noting that the precious metal dissolved into solution.

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