Daniel Hu

TITRATION NOTES
Preparing a standard solution

Aim: To prepare 100ml of a standard solution of _____ mol/L ________ (most likely anhydrous
sodium carbonate)

Equipment: 1x150 ml beaker, digital scale, wash bottle containing distilled water, 100ml volumetric
flask + stopper, funnel

MAKE SURE KNOW HOW TO DRAW ALL PIECES OF EQUIPMENT

Method:

1. Determine the number of moles of sodium carbonate required to make 100ml of

_____mol/L solution
2. Calculate the mass of anhydrous Na2Co3 needed to make 100ml of sodium carbonate of a
particular concentration
3. Weigh approximately the calculated mass, using a 150ml beaker on an electronic balance.
Record the actual mass
4. Dissolve the sodium carbonate in approximately 50ml of distilled water in the beaker
5. Transfer the contents to the 100ml volumetric flask using a funnel (make sure you have
rinsed the volumetric flask before using. It is not necessary to dry the flask)
6. Rinse the walls of the beaker with distilled water to ensure all sodium carbonate is
transferred to the volumetric flask
7. Gently shake the volumetric flask to ensure complete dissolution of the Na2Co3
8. Add more distilled water until the bottom of the meniscus is resting on the 100ml line on the
neck of the flask (ensure the meniscus is at eye level to avoid parallax error)
9. Place a stopper in the top of the flask. Invert the volumetric flask multiple times to ensure
solution is homogenous
10. Label the flask with the exact concentration, solution, date and name

*It is unnecessary to dry the volumetric flask after rinsing it with distilled water because it doesn’t
affect the number of moles of the acid (doesn’t change the concentration)

*When rinsing, you improve the accuracy, reliability and validity of the experiment. Since if the flask
is clean, you are not introducing extra variables or HCl

Systematic error: Balance out of calibration, impure product, burette not measuring correctly

Random error: Improper reading of burette, improper weighing

Titration

Aim: To conduct a titration with the standard solution produced to accurately determine the
concentration of _________

Equipment/materials: Pipette bulb, pipette, retort stand, burette, 100ml conical flask, funnel, 100ml
standard solution, wash bottle, 50ml _____ of unknown concentration, methyl orange/bromothymol
blue/phenolphthalein indicator

MAKE SURE YOU KNOW THE EXPERIMENTAL SETUP AND HOW TO DRAW EQUIPMENT

BEFORE CONDUCTING TITRATION, MAKE SURE ALL EQUIPMENT IS RINSED WITH DISTILLED WATER.
Daniel Hu

1. Collect 100ml of ______ of unknown concentration

2. Rinse the pipette. Use the pipette bulb to draw a small quantity of _______ solution. Hold
the pipette horizontally and rotate to ensure all surfaces have had contact with the _____.
Empty into the waste container
a. Prevents contamination, guaranttes cleanliness and puriness, once with distilled
water, repeat three times with transferred solution
3. Use pipette. Draw ______ solution into the pipette using the bulb, a few cm above the
etched line. Make sure not to draw any liquid into the bulb. Remove the pipette from the
bulb and prevent the outflow of the liquid using your index finger. Release pressure on the
index finger to allow meniscus to reach the graduation mark. Move the filled pipette to the
conical flask and allow 25ml aliquot of _____ into the conical flask. When the liquid level
stops dropping, keep the pipette in contact with the flask for three seconds. A small volume
should remain in the tip afterwards
4. Add 3-4 drops of indicator to the conical flask
5. Pour approximately 40ml standard solution into a clean dry 150ml beaker
6. Rinse the burette. Ensure the burette tap is closed. Place funnel in top of burette and pour
approximately 5ml of standard solution into the burette. Rinse the internal surface of the
burette and discard rising into a waste container through the tap. Repeat three times
7. Fill the burette. Fill up the burette to above the highest mark (usually either 50ml or 0ml).
Let the tap out so that the bottom of the meniscus is at (or just below) the top, ensuring that
there are no air bubbles inside the burette tap
8. Place conical flask under burette and record the initial burette reading
9. Release the burette tap slowly allowing standard solution into conical flask. Swirl the conical
flask while titrating
10. Slow down the addition when the indicator changes colour. Rinse the sides of the flask with
the wash bottle
11. Add single drops until the first permanent colour change occurs
12. Record the final reading of the burette and calculate the volume of base required to reach
the endpoint
13. Repeat the titration using different indicators to see the different endpoints
14. Repeat titration using a pH. meter, for greater accuracy

*Rinsed the pipette with _______ before taking the 25ml aliquot since it doesn’t change the
concentration of the unknown. This improves the accuracy of the experiment. When using a pipette,
you should always rinse it with the solution to be transferred

Conclusion: Volumetric analysis is an effective tool for determining the concentrations of unknown
solutions of acid and base.

Validity- make sure standard solution is not hygroscopic, doesn’t react with other compounds in the
air, make sure the indicator’s end point is appropriate the type of titration doing, rinsing equipment,
contamination, make sure you are not diluting

Air bubbles- introducing into the burrette, occupying a volume which should be occupied by
standard solution, to do with accuracy, run the solution out by opening the tap, pour gently into the
funnel.

Definitions
Daniel Hu

Aliquot- a specific volume of analyte used in titrations

Analyte- a solution of unknown concentration whose concentration is determined by titration

(usually placed in conical flask)

Burette- a graduated piece of glassware which dispenses measured volumes of solution (titrant)

Endpoint- the point of the experiment at which the indicator permanently changes colour

Equimolar- of equal concentration

Equivalence point- the point in titration when all the moles of H+ present in the original volume of
acid solution have reacted with an equivalent number of moles of OH- ions, added from the burette

Pipette- a piece of glassware used to transfer a very accurately measured volume

Primary standard- a substance of high purity and stability that can be weighed so a solution of
known concentration can be prepared

Standard solution- a solution of accurately known concentration and composition

Titrand- solution placed in conical flask in titration

Titrant- solution placed in burette in titration

Volumetric flask- a piece of glassware which can hold a set amount of solution very accurately.

TITRATION CURVES