Acid-Base

Titration
Experiment 10



4/16/2014


Introduction: An acid-base titration is a neutralization reaction that is performed in the lab in
order to determine an unknown concentration of acid or base. The moles of acid will equal the
moles of base at the equivalence point. Here's how to perform the calculation to find your
unknown. A chemical reaction is set up between a known volume of a solution of unknown
concentration and a known volume of a solution with a known concentration. Usually, the
known solution is added from a buret to a known quantity of the the unknown solution until
the reaction is complete. Knowing the volume of the known solution added allows the
determination of the concentration of the unknown. Often, an indicator is used to signal the
end of the reaction, or the endpoint.. The objectives for this lab are to become proficient in
the techniques of titration, to gain familiarity with the concept of stoichiometry. Also to
determine the molarity of a basic solution by the titration with a standardized acid solution and
to determine the concentration of acetic acid in an unknown. Hypothesis for the experiment is
that the final readings for both buret will be the same.
Procedure: Buret clamp, two buret clamps, and two different buret. The listed items are obtain
from the stockroom. All glassware is to be thoroughly washed, buret brushes to clean the
buret. When the equipment is clean it is rinsed with small portions of distilled water. Next the
standard HCl solution is obtained in a dry 250 mL beaker and the NaOH solution of unknown
Molarity in a clean, dry, labeled 250 mL Florence flask. The acid buret is rinsed twice with 5 mL
portions of HCl solution. Run the solution through the stopcock to remove all air bubbles. The
procedure is repeated for the basic solution. The solutions in each buret is filled to a point
between the zero and fifteen millimeter graduations and the initial readings are recorded.
Approximately 20 mL of the standard acid solution into a clean Erlenmeyer flask and two drops
of phenolphthalein are added into the flask. With the tip of the of the base buret inside the
neck of the flask, the NaOH is added while swirling the flask and a momentary pink color is
observed and become more persistent as the titration progresses. With a blank piece of white
paper under the flask will help in observing the color change. Once the pink color begins to
dissipate slower the base is added drop-by-drop. When the pink color persists rinse the walls of
the flask with distilled water and if the color persists for 30 seconds, it indicates the end point.
If the end point is passed the error is corrected by back titrating meaning adding more acid
rather than base to the solution. The volume level of each buret are recorded as final readings.
Two more titrations are to be repeated with the exact procedure. The molarity of the NaOH
solution for each titration if the values do not agree within 0.5% a fourth titration is to be
conducted.
DATA: All recorded and calculated data is on the attached sheet
Discussion: The Hypothesis was proven to be wrong. According to the data obtained from
the calculations the amount of NaOH poured did not match the amount of the acid. The
phenolphthalein being a weak acid also wants to ionize and produce but because of the high
concentration of H+ ions from the main the ionization of the phenolphthalein is inhibited and it
exists as the undissociated weak acid. The undissociated acid molecule is colorless. That is why
phenolphthalein is colorless in an acid solution therefore it is usually used as an indicator in
strong acid- strong base titrations.
Once the base begins to be added to the acid solution, a neutralization reaction takes place
HCl + NaOH NaCl + H2O

and the concentration of H+ ions begins to decrease. When all the H+ ions from the acid have
been reacted, the phenolphthalein is able to ionize and form an ion that is a bright pink color,
meaning as soon as the indicator ionizes, the solution turns pink and the end point has been
reached. This indicates the end point of the titration, when all the H+ ions from the acid have
been neutralized by the base.
Conclusion: The experiment proved to be significant in increasing the knowledge in the
techniques of titration and determining the molarity of a basic solution by titration with a
standardized acid solution. Also becoming even more familiar with the concept of
stoichiometry and in determining the concentration of acetic acid in an unknown. To improve
the experiment, all parts of the experiment rather than just one.