Results

Hydrochloric acid (.325 M) and sulfuric acid (.325 M) were each titrated separately
into Potassium Hydroxide (0.063 M). As seen in Figure 1, the equivalence point for
sulfuric acid and potassium hydroxide was 4.0 mL and 4.1 mL acid added. The
equivalence point for hydrochloric acid and potassium hydroxide was 7.8 mL and
8.75 mL acid added (Figure 1). The theoretical curve for sulfuric shows an
equivalence point of 3.4 mL acid added and the theoretical curve for hydrochloric
acid shows an equivalence point of 7.7 mL (Figure 1). According to Figure 1, the
hydrochloric acid equivalence point is almost double that of the sulfuric acids
equivalence point.

Figure 1. Titration curves depict the two trials for each strong acid with the strong
base in comparison with the theoretical titration curves.

Discussion
In this experiment two trials were conducted comparing two strong acids which
were hydrochloric acid and sulfuric acid, each in the presence of potassium
hydroxide, a strong base. Both solutions were added with the same concentration of
0.325 M to 0.063 M of potassium hydroxide in order to test how the acids would
affect the pH level of the potassium hydroxide solution. The purpose of this titration
was to neutralize the strong base solution of potassium hydroxide with each strong
acid separately. The hypothesis for this experiment was that when more titrant or
acid was added to the base or analyte, the overall pH level of the solution should
decrease. Figure 1 depicts the results supporting this hypothesis. In each trial the
acid added sulfuric or hydrochloric, caused a decrease in pH of potassium hydroxide
solution. Because potassium hydroxide is a strong base it has a very high pH value,
so using it was ideal in seeing the effect of the acids on pH. As the acids were each
added slowly to base, the pH was observed as decreasing minutely until it reached
closer to the equivalence point, a pH of 7.0 1. The pH values then decreased at
significant rates nearing the equivalence point. This where the titrant and analyte
were in their exact stoichiometric ratios1. As they neutralize, both the acid and base
fully dissociate into ions2. Once the equivalence point is reached as seen in Figure 1,
equal amounts of H+ and OH- ions will combine to form H 2O, resulting in a neutral
pH of 7.01. This is only true for titrations of a strong acid with a strong base 2. The
resulting anions from the acid and cations from the base that do not form H 2O, will
form salts1. Also as the mixture gained more titrant or acid, the pH level of the end
result solutions are seen to become a strong acids, having a pH of around 2 (Figure
1). This was due to more moles of titrant or acid becoming present in the solution
than moles of analyte or the base. As aforementioned double the amount of sulfuric
acid was needed for the hydrochloric acid to neutralize potassium hydroxide.
Because sulfuric acid is a polyprotic acid, it donates two H+ ions at a time instead of
one H+ ion as hydrochloric acid1. This means less sulfuric acid neutralizes
potassium hydroxide faster in comparison to hydrochloric acid.
One source of error that could have occurred was the rinsing burette with wrong
solution. If the burette or pipette is not dry before using it, it has to be rinsed with
the solution that will be transferred. Using just distilled water for rinsing will mean
that the transferred solution will become diluted. A suggested follow up experiment
could involve perhaps titrating weak acid with a weak base in order to see the
change in pH and the overall titration curve it will produce.
References
1. Sathoud, O.; Weir, M. Titration I Strong Acid/Strong Base Titration. In Intergrated
BISC207/CHEM107 Laboratory and Studio Manual; Audette, D.; Hunt, S.; Martin, B.
Wuersig, R., Ed.; University of Delaware, Newark, DE, 2016; pp 155-157.
2. Munegumi, T. (2013). Where is the Border Line between Strong Acids and Weak
Acids? World Journal of Chemical Education, pp.12-16.