Back Titrations

Question 1
A 10.0 g piece of rusty steel wool is dissolved in 200.00 ml of 1.00 M sulfuric
acid. The excess sulfuric acid is determined by titration with a 0.500 M sodium
hydroxide solution. 300.00 mL of sodium hydroxide is required to neutralise
the acid.
What was the % purity of iron in steel wool?
Question 2
A 3.145 g sample of a certain lead ore containing lead(II) carbonate, PbCO3,
was heated gently with 25.00 mL of nitric acid of concentration
0.6293 mol/L.
The equation for this reaction is:
PbCO3(s) + 2HNO3(aq) Pb(NO3)2(aq) + H2O(l) + CO2(g)
When the reaction was complete and no more CO2 was evolved, the mixture
was cooled and the excess nitric acid was titrated against NaOH solution of
concentration 0.1423 mol/L. The volume of NaOH required was 23.41 mL.
The equation for the titration is:
HNO3(aq) + NaOH(aq) NaNO3(aq) + H2O(l)
a Calculate the percentage by mass of PbCO3 in the original ore.
b Predict the effect on the final answer if:
i the ore contained some limestone, CaCO3, in addition to PbCO3
ii not all the CO2 was evolved during the heating stage
State your reasoning.
Answer 2a:

Question 3
Three aspirin tablets, which were claimed by the manufacturer to each contain
320 mg of aspirin, C6H4(OCOCH3)COOH, were heated gently in 50.00 mL of
NaOH solution of concentration 0.5190 mol/ L.
The aspirin tablets reacted according to the equation:
C6H4(OCOCH3)COOH(s) + 2NaOH(aq) C6H4(OH)COONa(aq) +
CH3COONa(aq) + H2O(l)
After cooling, the solution was transferred to a 100.00 mL volumetric flask and
the volume was made up to exactly the 100.00 mL mark. Aliquots of 20.00 mL
of this solution were then titrated against HCl of concentration 0.1232 mol/L.
The mean titre was 24.19 mL.
The equation for the titration is:
HCl(aq) + NaOH(aq) NaCl(aq) + H2O(l)
a Draw a flow chart to illustrate this procedure, ( its a back titration).
b Calculate the amount of NaOH in a 20.00 mL aliquot of the solution,
in moles.
c Calculate the amount of NaOH that remained after the reaction with
aspirin, in moles.
d Calculate the amount of NaOH added initially, in moles.
e Calculate the amount of NaOH reacting with the aspirin, in moles.
f Calculate the average mass of aspirin in each tablet and hence
comment on the manufacturers claim.
g Identify two safety precautions that would have been needed for this
procedure and state your reasons

Answers Q3:

Solution to Back Titration Problem:

Question 1
A 10.0 g piece of rusty steel wool is dissolved in 200.00 ml of 1.00 M sulfuric acid.
The excess sulfuric acid is determined by titration with a 0.500 M sodium hydroxide
solution. 300.00 mL of sodium hydroxide is required to neutralise the acid.
What was the % purity of iron in steel wool?
* Back Titration something dissolved excess sulphuric acid titrated,
Equation 1: for wool dissolving
Fe(s) + H2SO4 (aq) FeSO4(aq) + H2(g)
Equation 2: left over H2SO4 titrated with NaOH
H2SO4(aq) + 2 NaOH(aq) Na2SO4(aq) + 2H2O(l)
n(sulfuric acid) initially = C V = 1 x 0.2 = 0.2 M ( from 1st line of question)
Equation 2
n( NaOH) reacting with Fe = CV = 0.5* 0.3 = 0.15 mole
ratio NaOH: H2SO4 is
2
: 1
n( H2SO4)not reacting with Fe / excess = 0.5 * 0.15 = 0.075 mol
n( H2SO4) initial n( H2SO4)excess = n( H2SO4)reacted with Fe
0.2 0.075
= 0.125 mol
Equation 1
n( H2SO4)reacted with Fe =n(Fe)
1 : 1 ratio
n(Fe) = 0.125 mol
mass (Fe) = 0.125* 55.8
= 6.975g
% purity = actual mass Fe/ original mass * 100 = (6.975/ 10) * 100 = 69.8%