What does the term "equivalence point" refer to in a titration?

The equivalence point in a titration represents the moment when the reactants have reacted in stoichiometric proportions according to the balanced chemical equation. At this point, all of the titrant has been completely added to the analyte, and there are no excess reactants remaining in the solution. This means that the amount of titrant added is chemically equivalent to the amount of substance being titrated.

Understanding this concept is critical in analytical chemistry, as it allows chemists to determine the concentration of an unknown solution through careful measurement and calculation based on the known concentration of the titrant. The equivalence point does not necessarily correspond to a color change (that would be the endpoint), a neutral pH, or the maximum concentration of a product; instead, it strictly refers to the completion of the reaction with respect to the reactants involved.