Instrumental Analytical Methods

Lab Report 2013

Anastazija Ristovska
Experiment 7
Potentiometric Titration of Sulfuric Acid with Sodium Base

The purpose of this experiment was to determine the concentration of sulfuric acid in a
solution of unknown concentration through potentiometric means. A neutralization reaction was
carried out in which the sulfuric acid solution of unknown concentration was titrated with 0.1M
sodium hydroxide. The potential of the solution was measured using a platinum electrode
connected to a potentiometer. A KCl bridge was also used. The potential of the solution
indicated the number of ions in the solution and their charge. Since during the neutralization
reaction acid was neutralized to salt and water, the potential of the solution was dropping as the
acid ions were turning into salt and water. At the moment when the acid has been completely
spent out and more sodium base was still adding, the potential jumped again due to the increase
in number of ions and began increasing. The point of this sudden large change in potential is the
point at which the concentration of sulfuric acid reached zero. Therefore the volume of the 0.1M
sodium base solution spent till this point in the titration was used to determine the sulfuric acid
concentration.
Below is given a change in potential v. change in volume of 0.1M sodium base added.
300

E/V
5; 255

250

E/V

200

150

100
6; 80
50
7; 35
3; 20
0
0

1; 0,5 2; 4,5
2

4; 20

8; 10
6

9; 15
10

When the same plot is constructed with 0.1ml base solution additions instead of 1ml
titrant additions as in the previous plot, the exact point of neutralization can be much more
precisely determined.
4,9

1950,0

E/V

E/V

1450,0

5
950,0

450,0
5,1
4,75
4,85
4,7
4,5
5,4
4,4
3,9
4,95
3,8
4
5,5 66,25
3,7 4,25
3,5
2,7533,25
1 1,5 2 2,5
-50,0

8
8

9
10

Volume (ml)

The calculation for the mass of sulfuric acid present in the titrated solution of initially unknown
concentration is: x/20ml=0.5*4.9ml*0.1M*(98,079g/m).
Therefore the results of the mass of sulfuric acid are as follows:
Mass of H2SO4 in the 20ml diluted = 1,20147g
Mass of H2SO4 in the 20ml diluted = 1201.5mg
Mass of H2SO4 total in the volumetric flask: 6.00735g
Mass of H2SO4 total in the volumetric flask: 6007.35mg

Volume
(ml)
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9

Potential
(mV)
500
499,5
495
475
455
200
120
85
75
60

E/V
0,5
4,5
20
20
255
80
35
10
15

Volume
(ml)
0
1
1,5
2
2,5
2,75
3
3,25
3,5
3,7
3,8
3,9
4
4,25
4,4
4,5
4,7
4,75
4,85
4,9
4,95
5
5,1
5,4
5,5
6
6,25
7
8
9

Potential
(mV)
500,0
499,5
495,0
490,0
497,5
495,0
490,0
485,0
480,0
475,0
470,0
460,0
455,0
450,0
430,0
415,0
380,0
370,0
350,0
255,0
250,0
200,0
175,0
130,0
125,0
120,0
110,0
85,0
75,0
60,0

E/V
1
9
10
-15
10
20
20
20
25
50
100
50
20
133
150
175
200
200
1900
100
1000
250
150
50
10
40
33
10
15