CHAPTER 13A

EQUIVALENTS AND NORMALITY

INTRODUCTION
Chemists often find it convenient to use equivalents instead of moles to quantify the amount of a
substance. Equivalents are also used in biology, environmental science, pharmacy and other health
professions. Solution concentrations of equivalents are expressed in normality instead of molarity.
In this introduction to equivalents and normality, the discussion ill be limited to protonic !hydrogen ion"
acids and hydroxide bases in acid#base reactions. Equivalents are also used for amounts of oxidi$ing
agents and reducing agents in redox reactions. %n example of this use of equivalents and normality ill
be demonstrated in a laboratory experiment involving the titration of sodium oxalate ith potassium
permanganate.
&he purpose for using equivalents instead of moles is that equivalents are defined so that one equivalent
of any acid ill react ith one equivalent of any base. 'ecall that this is not true for moles. (ne mole of
any acid ill not alays react ith one mole of any base. Consider the folloing to chemical
equations)
*Cl + ,a(* - ,aCl + *.(
In this first reaction one mole of *Cl reacts ith one mole of ,a(*.
*.S(/ + . ,a(* - ,a.S(/ + . *.(
In this second reaction one mole of *.S(/ reacts ith to moles of ,a(*.
EQUIVALENTS OF ACIDS AND BASES
Acids
%n equivalent of a protonic acid is defined as the amount of the acid that ill donate one mole of
hydrogen ions in reactions ith bases. &he number of equivalents of an acid equal to one mole of the
acid can be determined from its chemical formula.
a" *Cl has only one acidic hydrogen. &hus one mole of *Cl is equal to one equivalent !abbreviated
eq" of *Cl, since one mole of *Cl donates one mole of *
+
ions. 0 mol *Cl - 0 eq *Cl.

b" *.S(/ has to acidic hydrogens. &hus one mole of *.S(/ donates to moles of *
+
ions and
contains to equivalents of *.S(/. 0 mol *.S(/ - . eq *.S(/.
c" Consider acetic acid, *C.*1(.. &he chemical formulas for acids shos the acidic hydrogens
first. &here is only one acidic hydrogen in acetic acid and three non#acidic hydrogens.
0 mol *C.*1(. - 0 eq *C.*1(..
% generali$ed equation is) 0 mol acid - n eq acid, here n is the number of acidic hydrogens in the
chemical formula for the acid.
Bases
%n equivalent of an hydroxide base is defined as the amount of the base that ill react ith one mole of
hydrogen ions. Since one mole of hydroxide ions reacts ith one mole of hydrogen ions !*
+
+ (*
#
-*.(", the number of equivalents of an hydroxide base in one mole of the hydroxide base equals the
number of hydroxide ions in the chemical formula of the base. 0 mol base - n eq base, here n is the
number of hydroxides in the chemical formula.
&herefore for) 2ase 3ol Eq
,a(* 0 0
Ca !(*". 0 .
%l !(*"1 0 1
,ote that the 4eq of an acid or base is 5 4mol of an acid or base.

&o conclude this section, reconsider the balanced chemical equation for the reaction of sulfuric acid and
sodium hydroxide.
*.S(/ + . ,a(* - ,a.S(/ + . *.(
0 mol . mol
. eq . eq
6e see that the 4eq acid - 4eq base, hich is true for all acid#base reactions.
Eqi!a"en# $ei%&#
(ne mole of a substance is defined as the eight !mass" in grams equal to its molecular eight !36".
Similarly, one equivalent of a substance is the eight in grams equal to its equivalent eight !E6".
a" 7or *Cl, 0 mol *Cl - 0 eq *Cl. 36 of *Cl - 18./89 E6 of *Cl - 18./8.
b" 7or *.S(/, 0mol *.S(/ - . eq *.S(/. 36 of *.S(/ - :;.<;9 E6 of *.S(/ - /:.</.
7or acids, E6 - 36=n, here n is the number of acidic hydrogens in the chemical formula.
7or hydroxide bases, E6 - 36=n, here n is the number of hydroxide ions in the chemical formula.
&he E6 is alays less than or equal to the 36. E6 > 36.
3olecular 6eights and Equivalent 6eights
of some %cids and 2ases
Compound 36 E6
*,(1 81.<0 81.<0
*1?(/ :;.<< 1..8@
,a(* /<.<< /<.<<
Ca!(*". @/.<: 1@.<A
%l!(*"1 @;.<< .8.<<
?roblems Involving Equivalents
?roblems involving equivalents, eights, and equivalent eights are similar to those for moles. Bust as
the 36 as needed for mole problems, the E6 is needed for problems ith equivalents.
&here is a mathematical formula for solving these problems,
4eq - t !g"=E6.
If any to of these variables are Cnon, the third variable can be calculated.
&hese same problems can also be solved using dimensional analysis, using the folloing conversion
factor)
0 eq - E6 !g"
7or example, 0 eq *.S(/ -/:.</ g *.S(/
Example problem and solutions
Calculate the 4eq of Ca!(*". in 8.1. g of Ca!(*"..
E6Ca!(*". - 36Ca!(*". - @/.<: - 1@.<A
. .
Dsing the formula) 4eq Ca!(*". - t !g" Ca!(*".
E6Ca!(*".
4eq Ca!(*". - 8.1. g Ca!(*". - <.0@0 eq Ca!(*".
1@.<A g Ca!(*".=eq Ca!(*".
('
Dsing dimensional analysis) 8.1. g Ca!(*". x 0 eq Ca!(*". - <.0@0 eq Ca!(*".
1@.<A g Ca!(*".
NORMALITY
&he normality !," of a substance in solution is equal to the number of equivalents of the substance in
one liter of solution.
In general, ,% - 4eq %
4Esoln

?roblems involving normality are similar to problems involving molarity.
Example ?roblem
Calculate the normality of a Ca!(*". solution containing 8.1. g of Ca!(*". in A.;A E of solution.
,Ca!(*". - 4eq Ca!(*".
4Esoln
In the example above, e calculated that 8.1. g Ca!(*". - <.0@0 eq Ca!(*"..
&hus, ,Ca!(*". - <.0@0 eq Ca!(*". - <.<.:. ,
A.;A Esoln
&he solution is said to be a <.<.:. normal solution of Ca!(*".. , can stand for the noun, normality
or the adFective, normal, Fust as 3 stands for molarity and molar.
Conversion of ,ormality to 3olarity and 3olarity to ,ormality
% problem that comes up frequently is to calculate the normality of a molar solution and vice versa.
&o Ceep from getting confused, remember that 4eq 5 4mol, and therefore , 5 3.
7or acids, , - n3, here n is the number of acidic hydrogens in the chemical formula of the acid.
7or hydroxide bases, , - n3, here n is the number of hydroxide ions in the chemical formula of the
base.
Examples
8.< 3 *Cl - 8.< , *Cl9
1.<3 *.S(/ - 8.< , *.S(/9
<.<A< , Ca!(*". - <.<.A 3 Ca!(*".
Ti#'a#i(ns
In calculations involving titrations, the equation, ,% - 4eq % is used in the rearranged form,
4Esoln
,% x 4Esoln - 4eq %.
&itrations are reactions in hich e measure the volume of a standardi$ed solution !e.g. ,a(*" that
reacts stoichiometrically ith an acid. In an acid#base reaction, using the concept of equivalents, e
Cno that at the endpoint of a titration)
4eq base - 4eq acid.
Example) Calculation of tG of sulfuric acid by titration ith ,a(*
% <.1@.A g sample of a sulfuric acid solution is titrated ith .;.81 mE of a <.0<:A , ,a(* solution.
Calculate the tG of sulfuric acid in the solution.
4eq *.S(/ - 4eq ,a(* - ,,a(* x Esoln
&hus, 4eq *.S(/ - ,,a(* x Esoln - <.0<:A x <.<.;81 - <.<<101A eq *.S(/
&he E6 of *.S(/ - :;.<;=. - /:.</
<.<<101A eq *.S(/ x /:.</ g *.S(/ -<.0A1@ g *.S(/
0 eq *.S(/

tG *.S(/ - t *.S(/ x 0<< - <.0A1@ g *.S(/ x 0<< - /0..@ G
t sample <.1@.A g sample

&his calculation routine can be ritten as the folloing equation for titrimetric analysis using normality,
tG D - ,&H&!E6"D x0<<
t sample
here D is the unCnon substance and & is the titrating substance. H is liters. &his equation is quite easy
to commit to memory and then use for tG calculations.
Example ?roblem
It tooC 11.8 mE of <...A , ,a(* to titrate a <.:A; g sample of an acetic acid !*C.*1(." sample.
Calculate the tG of acetic acid in the sample.
tG *C.*1(. - !,,a(*"!H,a(*"!E6%%"!0<<"
t sample
36%% - 8<.<A
E6%% - 8<.<A
tG *C.*1(. - !<...A"!<.<118"!8<.<A"g !0<<" - /@./G
<.:A;g
Standardi$ation of an %cid Solution by &itration ith a Standardi$ed 2ase
*Cl solutions for titrating bases are usually standardi$ed by titration ith standardi$ed ,a(*. %t the
titration endpoint, 4eq ,a(* - 4eq *Cl. &herefore ,*ClH*Cl - ,,a(*H,a(*. &he normality of the *Cl
can be calculated as follos.
,*Cl - ,,a(* x !H,a(*"
!H*Cl"
Since the conversion factor is the ratio of the volume of the ,a(* to the volume of the *Cl, this
technique is called standardi$ation by ratio.
Example ?roblem
It taCes 1..@A mE of <.0;1A, ,a(* to titrate .1./. mE of an *Cl solution. Calculate the normality of
the *Cl solution.
,*Cl - ,,a(* x !H,a(*"
!H*Cl"
,*Cl - <.0;1A x 1..@A - <..A88,
.1./.
?'(2EE3S
0. Ietermine the equivalent eights of the foloing acids and bases) a" Ca!(*". b" *.C.(/ c" J(*
d" *.C(1
.. *o many equivalents is 0A.< g of) a" *.S(/ b" Ca!(*". c" %l!(*"1K
1. 6hat is the molarity of ) a" <.0., *.S(/ b" <.AA, ,a(* c" <.<.<, Ca!(*".K
/. 6hat is the normality of) a" <./A3 %l!(*"1 b" <.0..3 *.S(/ c" <.8@A3 *1?(/K
A. % 0A.< mE sample of an acid requires 1@.1 mE of <.1<1, ,a(* for neutrali$ation. Calculate the
normality of the acid.
8. a" *o many equivalents of ,a(* are present in 1<A mE of <.0A<, ,a(*K
b" *o many equivalents of *.S(/ are present in 1A.A mE of 0.1A, *.S(/K
@. % <../1 g sample containing Ca!(*". as titrated ith ...@ mE of a <.0<:, solution of *Cl.
Calculate the tG of Ca!(*". in the sample.
;. % <.118 g sample containing oxalic acid, *.C.(/, as titrated ith 0@.@ mE of a <.<::8, ,a(*
solution. Calculate the tG of oxalic acid in the sample.
%nsers) 0. a" 1@.<A b" /A.</ c" A8.00 d" 10.<0) .. a" <.1<8 eq b" <./<A eq c" <.A@@ eq) 1. a" <.<8<3
b" <.AA3 c" <.<0<39 /. a" 0.1A, b" <..//, c" ..<.,) A. <.@A1, 8. a" <.</A; eq b" <.</@: eq
@. 1@.@G ;. .1.8G