EXPERIMENT 1:

Objective:
To determine the concentration sulphuric acid using standard sodium hydroxide solution.
Procedure:
1. Using the pipette 25.0cm3 of sulphuric acid is transferred into a conical flask.
2. 2-3 drops of phenolphthalein is added to the solution and the solution is titrated with standard NaOH until first permanent pink colour is observed.
3. The procedure is repeated for consistent results.
Results:
Burette readings

Average
Titration No Rough
1 2 3
Initial reading 50.0 50.0 50.0 50.0
Final reading 25.2 25.1 25.2 25.3
Volume of NaOH
used/cm3 25.2 25.1 25.2 25.3

Conclusion:
25.0cm3 of sulphuric acid required 25.2 cm3 of sodium hydroxide solution for complete reaction.

Discussion:

The reaction between acid and base to form salt and water is known as neutralization. In this experiment sulphuric acid react with sodium hydroxide to form sodium sulphate salt and water. One

mole of sulphuric acid react with two mole of sodium hydroxide. Sodium hydroxide is a strong base having the formula NaOH and sulphuric acid is a strong acid which has 2 hydrogen atoms

per molecule.

H2SO4 + 2NaOH → Na2SO4 + 2H2O

Titration is the slow addition of one solution of a known concentration (called a titrant) to a known volume of another solution of unknown concentration until the reaction reaches

neutralization, which is often indicated by a colour change. The solution called the titrant must satisfy the necessary requirements to be a primary or secondary standard. In a broad sense,

titration is a technique to determine the concentration of an unknown solution. In this experiment we will determine the molarity of the sodium hydroxide solution (base) from the data obtained

by titrating sulphuric acid with the sodium hydroxide solution. The sodium hydroxide is added from a burette to the conical flask containing 25.0cm3 of sulphuric acid. One mole of sulphuric

acid react exactly with two mole of sodium hydroxide. Subsequently, calculate the molarity of the sodium hydroxide solution from the titration volume and the number of moles of sodium

hydroxide in that volume.

In titration, when equal numbers of H3O+ and OH- from the acidic and basic solutions react, the resulting solution is neutral (water and salt). The point of neutralization, called end-point, is

observed when an indicator placed in the solution being titrated, changes colour. The indicator selected is one that changes colour when stoichiometric quantity of base (according to the

chemical equation) has been added to the acid. A solution of phenolphthalein, an organic acid, is used as an indicator in this experiment. The phenolphthalein is colourless in acid solution but

changes to pink when the solution becomes slightly alkaline Alternative indicators you can use include screened methyl orange (green in alkali, violet in acid) and phenolphthalein (pink in

alkali, colourless in acid). When the reaction between acid and bases is completed, the next drop of sodium hydroxide will changes the colour of the indicator from colourless pink.

Calculations:
1. Use the values for the average total volume of NaOH added and the NaOH concentration to calculate the moles of NaOH used.
4
23+16+1
Molarity of NaOH= mol dm-3
1
= 0.1 mol dm-3

25.1+25.2+25.3 3
Average volume of NaOH used= cm
3
= 25.2 cm3
= 0.0252dm3
Number of moles of NaOH= 0.1 mol dm-3× 0.0252dm3

= 2.52×10-3 mol

2. Write and balance an equation to show how H2SO4 reacts with NaOH in a neutralization equations.
H2SO4 + 2NaOH → Na2SO4 + 2H2O

3. Calculate the moles of H2SO4 used in the reaction, using the moles of NaOH calculated in (1) and the balanced equation in(2).

1 mol of H2SO4 ≡ 2 mol of NaOH

2.52×10−3
Number of moles of H2SO4=
2

= 1.26×10-3 mol

4. Calculate the molarity of the H2SO4, using the moles of H2SO4 calculated in (3) and the volume of H2SO4 recorded in your table.

1.26×10-3 mol = Molarity × Volume of H2SO4 used

 Molarity = 1.26×10-3 ÷ 0.025

=0.0504 mol dm-3

Precautions:

1. The pipette, burette, and conical flask should be washed properly with distilled water.
2. Pipetting has to be accurate in order to avoid excess addition of the titrating agent.
3. The flask containing the indicator (phenolphthalein or methyl orange) must be shaken well while acid is added to it.
4. The acid should be added drop wise .
5. Contamination should be avoided.
6. Excess of indicator should not be used.
7. The flask into which acid is added drop wise should be removed as soon as the indicator changes colour.
8. Readings should be taken avoiding the parallax error.
9. Usually an air bubble is present in the nozzle of the burette, it must be removed before taking the initial reading.
10. There should not be any leakage from the burette during titration.
11. Keep your eye in level with the liquid surface while taking the burette reading or while reading the pipette or measuring flask etc.
12. Always read lower meniscus in case of colourless solution and upper meniscus in case of coloured solutions.
13. Do not blow through the pipette to expel the last drop of solution from it, simply touch the inner surface of the titration flask with the nozzle of the pipette for this purpose.
14. Shaking of the titration flask should be continuous during adding the solution from the burette.
15. Use your index finger while pipetting the solution.
16. Do not waste your time in bringing the burette reading to zero before each titration.
17. Always add acid to water not water to acid. Same goes for basic reagents.
18. Wear protective equipment: gloves, goggles, lab gown etc.
19. Clean all spills.
20. When chemicals are spilled on skin, wash for at least 15 minutes with running water.
21. Always have an emergency eye wash nearby.
22. Dispose used chemicals properly