Osukuuni Practice Questions CHEM 3811 Acid-Base Titrations

1. Calculate the change in pH that occurs when 0.50 mmol of a strong acid is added to
100.0 mL of a solution containing 0.0200 M of formic acid and 0.0800 M formate (pKa =
3.75).

A solution of formic acid and formate is a buffer solution

Initial mmol formic acid = (100.0 mL)(0.0200 M) = 2.00 mmol
Initial mmol formate = (100.0 mL)(0.0800 M) = 8.00 mmol
pH before strong acid was added (use H-H equation) = 4.35
Addition of strong acid converts base to acid
Final mmol formic acid = 2.00 mmol + 0.50 mmol = 2.50 mmol
Final mmol formate = 8.00 mmol - 0.50 mmol = 7.50 mmol
pH after strong acid was added (use H-H equation) = 4.23
Change in pH = 4.35 - 4.23 = 0.12

2. A 20.0 mL aliquot of 0.0400 M HClO4 is titrated with 0.100 M NaOH. Find the
equivalence volume. Determine the pH at the following volumes of NaOH and plot the
titration curve: 0, 1.00, 3.00, 7.00, 7.50, 8.50, 8.70, 9.00, 11.00 mL.

Refer notes

3. Calculate the change in pH that occurs when 0.0500 M NaOH solution results in a
tenfold dilution of water.

Initial [OH-] = 0.0500 M

Initial pOH = 1.301
Final [OH-] = 0.0500 M/10 = 0.00500 M
Final pOH = 2.301
Change in pH = change in pOH = 1.000

4. Calculate the change in pH that occurs when a solution containing 0.0500 M NH3 and
0.0500 M NH4Cl results in a tenfold dilution of water (pKa = 9.25).

A solution of NH3 and NH4Cl is a buffer solution

Dilution with water reduces concentrations of both NH3 and NH4Cl by the same factor
Quotient in H-H equation remains the same
Change in pH = 0

5. Calculate the pH after the addition of 15.00 mL of 0.100 M KOH in the titration with
50.00 mL of 0.100 M citric acid (pKa = 3.13)

First calculate volume of KOH needed to reach equivalence point

1 mol KOH = 1 mol citric acid
(V)(0.100 M) = (50.00 mL)(0.100 M)
V = 50.0 mL KOH
Implies addition of 15.00 mL KOH is before equivalence point
mmol KOH added = (15.00 mL)(0.100 M) = 1.50 mmol = mmol citrate produced
Initial mmol citric acid = (50.00 mL)(0.100 M) = 5.00 mmol
Final mmol citric acid = 5.00 mmol - 1.50 mmol = 3.50 mmol
Use H-H equation to solve for pH = 2.76

6. Calculate the pH after the addition of 8.00 mL of 0.100 M HCl in the titration with
100.0 mL of 0.0200 M pyridine (pKb = 8.79)

First calculate volume of HCl needed to reach equivalence point

1 mol HCl = 1 mol pyridine
(V)(0.100 M) = (100.0 mL)(0.0200 M)
V = 20.0 mL HCl
Implies addition of 8.00 mL HCl is before equivalence point
mmol HCl added = (8.00 mL)(0.100 M) = 0.800 mmol = mmol pyridium produced
Initial mmol pyridine = (100.0 mL)(0.0200 M) = 2.00 mmol
Final mmol pyridine = 2.00 mmol - 0.800 mmol = 1.20 mmol
Use H-H equation and pKa to solve for pH = 5.39

7. A 50.0 mL of 0.0500 M acetic acid (pKa = 4.76) is titrated with 0.500 M KOH. Write
the balanced reaction equation and find the equivalence volume. Determine the pH at the
following volumes of KOH and plot the pH curve: 0, 1.00, 2.00, 4.00, 4.70, 4.80, 4.90,
5.10, 5.20, 6.50 mL.

C2H3O2H + KOH → KC2H3O2 + H2O

Equivalence volume
(V)(0.500 M) = (50.0 mL)(0.0500 M)
V = 5.00 mL KOH
Refer notes for the rest

8. When 22.63 mL of aqueous NaOH was added to 1.214g of MES (FM = 195.24 g/mol,
pKa = 6.27) dissolved in 41.37 mL of water, the pH was 9.13. Calculate the molarity of
the NaOH solution.

1 mol NaOH = 1 mol MES

Initial moles MES = (1.214 g)/(195.24 g/mol) = 6.218 x 10-3 mol
Use H-H equation to solve for moles conjugate base produced
pH = pKa + log[(x)/ (6.218 x 10-3 - x)]
x = 6.21 x 10-3 mol = moles conjugate base = moles NaOH added
Molarity NaOH = 6.21 x 10-3 mol/0.02263 L = 0.274 M NaOH
9. Determine the pH of a solution made by mixing 50.00 mL of 0.0250 M NH3 (pKa =
9.25) with 20.0 mL of 0.15 M HCl.

First calculate volume of HCl needed to reach equivalence point

1 mol HCl = 1 mol NH3
(V)(0.15 M) = (50.00 mL)(0.0250 M)
V = 8.3 mL HCl
Implies addition of 20.00 mL HCl is after equivalence point
pH is determined by strong acid (H+)
[H+] = (20.0 - 8.3)(0.15)/(20.0 + 50.00) = 0.025 M
pH = - log(0.025) = 1.60

10. Determine the pH of a solution made by mixing 50.00 mL of 0.0250 M Ca(OH)2 with
3.45 mL of 0.300 M HCl.

2HCl + Ca(OH)2 → CaCl2 + 2H2O

First calculate volume of HCl needed to reach equivalence point
2 mol HCl = 1 mol Ca(OH)2
(V)(0.300 M) = (2)(50.00 mL)(0.0250 M)
V = 8.33 mL HCl
Implies addition of 3.45 mL HCl is before equivalence point
Excess Ca(OH)2 determines the pH
mmol HCl = (3.45)(0.300) = 1.035 mmol
mmol Ca(OH)2 = 1.035/2 = 0.7325 mmol
[OH-] = 0.7325 mmol/53.45 mL = 0.0137 M
pOH = -log(0.0173) = 1.836
pH = 14 – 1.836 = 12.137

11. Would the indicator bromocresol green, with a transition range of pH 3.8 – 5.4, ever
be useful in the titration of a weak acid with a strong base? Why?

No. Titrating a weak acid with a strong base, the pH at equivalence point will be greater
than 7. An indicator whose transition range overlaps the equivalence point should be
chosen.

12. Find the pH of a solution obtained when 32.00 mL of 0.87 M ethanolamine (pKa =
9.50) is titrated to the equivalence point with 0.15 M HCl.

1 mol HCl = 1 mol ethanolamine

mmol ethanolamine = (32.00)(0.87) = 27.84 mmol (extra sig. figs.)
At equivalence point
(V)(0.15) = (32.00)(0.87)
V = 185.6 mL HCl (extra sig. figs)
mmol ethanolamine used up = mmol conjugate acid produced = 27.84 mmol
[BH+] = 27.84 mmol/(32.00 mL + 185.6 mL) = 0.13 M
Ka = x2/F
Solve for x = 6.4 x 10-6 M = [H+]
pH = - log(6.4 x 10-6) = 5.19