CHM 420
EXPERIMENT 6:
ACID AND BASES
STUDENT’S NAME NUR SYAHIRAH BINTI FAZIAL
ID 2021898248
LECTURER’S NAME PUAN NORJANAH BT YURY
SUBMISSION DATE 17 JANUARY 2021
Objective
To study the properties of acidic/basic substances using indicators and a pH meter.
Introduction
Acid and bases are regularly found in both chemistry and everyday life. It has diametrically
opposed characteristics and can cancel or neutralise each other. By lungs, blood, and kidneys in the
body through equilibrium processes are regulated by acid and bases.
Acid is a substance that contain hydrogen and produce H + in aqueous solutions. Acid can be
divided into 2 which are weak acid and strong acid. H3O+ ions will exhibit acidic properties in the
presence of water. Acid also changes the colour of litmus paper from blue to red.
Ka or Kb (acid and base dissociation constant) can be determined experimentally. Before divide
into 2 portions (the same volume), a sample of weak acid (HA) is dissolved in water. All HA
molecules present were converted into A - ions when 1 portion is titrated with sodium hydroxide
solution.
OH- + HA → H2O + A-
Ka = [H+] [A]/[HA] = [H+] = 10-Ph
The moles number of HA in the original half-portion is equal to the number of A- ions, and
equal to the number of moles of HA in the initial portion of weak acid. By measuring the pH of a half-
neutralized sample of the acid, the value of Ka can be determined.
The end point of the titration can be determined when the indicator changes colour, and when
the acid-base titration is carried out. pH meter can be used to measure the change of pH.
Chemicals and Apparatus
Sample solution A
Sample solution B
Unknown acid solution
Indicators (thymol blue, bromophenol blue, methyl orange and phenolphthalein)
Test tubes
Conical flask
Beaker
Pipet (25 mL)
Burette
pH meter
Procedure
A. pH using Indicator
B. Determination of Ka for a Weak Acid
C. Strong Acid-Strong Base Titration
Result
A. Ph using Indicator
pH of colour Colour change in Colour change in
Indicator Colour change
change Sample 1 Sample 2
Thymol blue Red - yellow 1.2-2.8 Pink Blue
Bromophenol
Yellow - blue 3.0-4.7 Yellow Purple
blue
Methyl orange Red - yellow 3.2-4.4 Red Yellow
B. Determination of Ka for a Weak Acid
Determination of Ka for a weak acid: 4.159 x 10-10
pH of half neutralized solution of unknown weak acid: 5.04
C. Strong Acid-Strong Base Titration
Total HCl
a. 0 10 15 20 23 25 26 27 29 31 33 35
added (ml)
Measured
b. 12.00 12.10 12.14 12.12 11.73 7.25 3.00 2.64 2.31 2.24 2.15 2.10
pH
Questions
1. Estimate the pH of Sample 1 and Sample 2.
pH Sample 1: 3
pH Sample 2: 9.6
2. Which indicators bracketed the pH colour change of Sample 1?
Indicators bracketed the pH colour change of Sample 1 bromophenol blue and methyl orange.
3. Which indicators bracketed the pH colour change of Sample 2?
Indicators bracketed the pH colour change of Sample 2 is methyl orange.
4. From the observed pH of the unknown weak acid (experiment B), calculate
(a) [H+] in the solution and Ka.
pH = -log [H+]
5.04 = -log [H+]
[H+] = 9.12 x 10-6
Ka = [Na+] + [OH-]
[NaOH]
NaOH → Na+ + OH-
Ka = (9.12 x 10-6)(9.12 x 10-6)
0.2
= 4.16 x 10-10
(b) Percent ionization.
% ionization = [NaOH] dissociated x 100
[NaOH] initial
=[OH-]/[NaOH] X 100
= 9.12 x 10-6 M x 100
0.2 M
= 0.00456 %
4. Construct a titration curve by plotting measured pH versus volume HCL (mL) added (refer to
Table 6.2).
Measured pH vs HCl added (mL)
14
12
10
Measured pH
0
0 10 15 20 23 25 26 27 29 31 33 35
HCl added (mL)
(a) What is the pH range for the colour change of phenolphthalein as shown in the plotted graph?
The pH range for the colour change of phenolphthalein as shown in the plotted graph is 3 to
11.73.
(b) What is the pH of the equivalence point in this titration?
The pH of the equivalence point in this titration is 7.
(b) Explain why phenolphthalein was used in this experiment?
Phenolphthalein was used in this experiment because when the pH close to 7, the solution
changes the colour of solution, that shows the equivalent point of strong base and strong acid. It
is easy for the solution to turn the colour from colourless to pink (titration).
Discussion
In this experiment, there are 3 experiments were held which are Experiment A, B, and C. From
Experiment A, pH using indicators, we could see that when bromophenol dropped, it changed to blue
for Sample 1 and purple for Sample 2, when methyl orange dropped, Sample 1 turned to red and
Sample 2 is yellow, and when thymol blue dropped, it turned to pink for Sample 1 and blue for Sample
2. Based on the Ph change, we can conclude that pH Sample 2 is higher than 4.7 and Sample 1is lower
than 4.4. From this, we can see that maybe, thymol blue has been polluted or contaminated by some
impurities.
In Experiment B, the test conducted between NaOH solution and unknown acid solution to
determine the ka for the acid which is 9.12 x 10-6 and pH of acid which is 4.16 x 10-10. Lastly, we can
determine the percent of ionization from the experiment which is 0.00456%.
Lastly, Experiment C was titration between HCl solution and NaOH solution. At first, the pH
slowly decreases as the HCl added or titrated and resulted changes of colour solution with the addition
of phenolphthalein.
Conclusion
From the experiment, we can know that Sample 1 is acidic solution while Sample 2 is basic solution.
This can be proven using some indicators to detect basic or acidic solution. For Sample 1,
bromophenol blue and methyl orange are the indicators because when it was dropped, it turned the
colour of solution. Another sample which is Sample 2, indicators that give the solution to yellow is
methyl orange.
References
1. Manual book of CHM420
2. “Lab Report of Experiment 6 (Acids and Bases).” StuDocu, StuDocu, 2020,
[Link]/my/document/universiti-teknologi-mara/general-chemistry/lab-report-of-
experiment-6-acids-and-bases/13696470. Accessed 16 Jan. 2022.