Module 8; Titration
Introduction
Titration is the process wherein a known volume of one solution is
completely reacted by adding a carefully measured second solution (the
titrant). Typically, when the first solution is completely reacted, the
mixture will undergo a visible change to indicate the endpoint (complete
reaction) has been reached. Titrations are used to determine the
concentration of an unknown solution.
Although titrations are possible with any type of reaction that produces a
visible change, acid-base titrations are most common. As the name
implies, an acid-base titration is one in which carefully measured
volumes of acid and base solutions are used to neutralize each other. A
small amount of indicator (a compound that changes color in an acidic
or basic environment) is added to signal the endpoint. In this
experiment, you will use an HCl solution (acid) to determine the
concentration of a NaOH solution (base). The neutralization reaction of
HCl and NaOH is:
HCl + NaOH NaCl + H2O
You will be given a HCl solution whose concentration is unknown. This
will be poured into a burette, a device capable of dispensing precise
volumes of liquid (see illustration). A known amount of NaOH solution
will be placed in an Erlenmeyer flask using a pipet. A drop or two of
phenolphthalein solution will be added. Phenolphthalein is an acid-base
indicator that is colorless in acidic solution and pink in basic solution.
You will carefully add NaOH to the HCl. When the HCl solution just turns
pink, you will have completely neutralized the HCl. Then you will note
the volume of the NaOH solution you added.
The concentration of the NaOH will be in molarity (mol NaOH / L of
solution). Therefore, the number of moles of NaOH added will be:
The titration set-up.
mol NaOH The solution of known
mol NaOH = L sol’n X = mol NaOH concentration (the titrant)
1 L NaOH is placed in the burette.
A known volume of the
The stoichiometry of the reaction tells you that: solution with unknown
concentration is placed
1 mol HCl
mol NaOH X = mol HCl in the Erlymeyer flask.
1 mol NaOH
(The simulator you will
Since you know the volume of HCl solution added, you can then
be using does it the
calculate the molarity of the solution: opposite way; the
mol HCl unknown is placed in the
Molarity of HCl sol’n = burette. That works too.)
L HCl sol’n
Pre-Laboratory Questions
Consider the following titration: 0.0250 L of HCl are placed in an Erlenmeyer Flask.
40.05 mL of 0.250M NaOH are added from the buret to reach the end point. What is
the concentration of the HCl in the Erlenmeyer Flask?
a. First, figure out how many moles of NaOH were added to the flask. (Start with
40.05 mL. Remember that 0.250 M means 0.250 moles / 1 L.)
Show your calculation. Use units with numbers. Report your answer
with three [Link].
Moles of NaOH= 40.05/1000L * 0.250moles/ 1 L = 0.010 moles
b. Then figure out how many moles of HCl are in the Erlenmeyer flask. Use the
balanced equation from the introduction of this lab.
Show your calculation. Use units with numbers. Report your answer
with three [Link].
NaOH: HCl ratio = 1:1
Moles of HCl = 0.010 moles
c. Finally, calculate the concentration of HCl in molarity. Use the moles you
calculated for HCl and use 0.0250 L since that is the volume of HCl. Remember
that M = mol/L or: molarity is equal to moles ÷ L.
Show your calculation. Use units with numbers. Report your answer
with three [Link].
Molarity = moles/ litre
= 0.010moles/0.0250 L =
0.4 M
Procedures and Data
Use the following link to watch the titration procedure carefully. It is a three minute video with music
only (no speaking). I suggest you use a split screen so that you can follow directions while recording
data for the experiment.
[Link]
Fill in this table:
1) You will be using two pieces of glassware in this experiment. Name them (refer
to introduction if needed).
burrete
The “top” glassware
Conical flask
The “bottom” glassware
2) Answer these questions regarding the titration experiment
colourless
What color* is the base,
NaOH, in the buret?
colourless
What color is the acid, HCl,
in the Erlenmeyer flask (or
conical flask)?
phenolphthalein
What is the name of the
indicator used?
The solution is basic
What does a “pink” color
mean when the indicator is
used?
Because of the HCl- acidic
Why does the pink color nature
disappear when indicator is
added?
At that point, the reaction is at
What does it mean at the the balance between acidic and
end point when the color basic nature.
no longer disappears?
*Remember: “clear” is not a color.
Data and Calculations
Now you can calculate the concentration of your unknown Acid: You will need three pieces of data
from your experiment on the previous page. Fill them in the table here:
0.10 M
1) Molarity of Base in M (look on the beaker).
25 ml
2) Volume of Acid in mL (look on the Erlenmeyer flask/Conical flask. Recall that
1cm3 = 1 mL.
25.4 ml
3) Volume of base added in mL as recorded INCORRECTLY in the YouTube
video.
25.40 ml
4) In the YouTube video, the estimated digit was not provided in the volume of
the base. Using good chemistry measurement skills, write a correct value
(including the estimated digit between the dashes):
Now do your calculations. Show your work here:
Hint: You know how many mL of 1 litre = 1000 ml
Liters
base was used (from #4 above). 25.40/1000 = 0.0254 L
of base
Recall that 1000 mL = 1 L. Do a
conversion starting with mL base.
Moles = M * Litres
Hint: Start with the L of base you 0.10 * 0.0254
Moles
just found. Use the molarity (from = 0.00254 moles
of base
#1 above) as a conversion factor.
(Recall M = moles/L)
Hint: This is a conversion. If you = 0.00254 moles
Moles
look at the balanced equation in
of acid
the introduction, you will see that
1 mole NaOH =1 mole HCl
Hint: You recorded the volume of 25ml/ 1000= 0.025 L
L of acid acid above in #2.
Convert that to L.
Molarity Moles/ litres
of Hint: Molarity is defined as = 0.00254/ 0.025
unknown moles/L. You’ve calculated moles = 0.10 M.
acid. of acid and L of acid. Now
calculate molarity of acid.