QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS OF SODA ASH OR ALKALI MIXTURE BY
DOUBLE-INDICATOR TITRATION
A.C ESTEBAN1, J.R. PESISMO1, J.A. SOMBILLO1, Z.N. UCHIDA1
1
DEPARTMENT OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING
COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING, UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES, DILIMAN, QUEZON CITY, PHILIPPINES
DATE PERFORMED: FEBRUARY 27, 2020
INSTRUCTOR’S NAME: VALDERRAMA, R. T.
1. Discuss the properties of an ideal
primary standard.
There are 4 main properties of an
ideal primary standard [1]. First, it is stable
in air. A primary standard cannot
decompose in, absorb or otherwise react
with any components of air. Second, a
primary standard is soluble in water. This is
for the main reason that chemists almost
always carry out reactions involving
primary standards in aqueous solutions.
Third, the primary standard should be
highly pure. Any impurity in a primary
standard results to error in any
measurement that involves its use. Primary
standard reagents typically exhibit purities
of 99.98 percent or greater. Last, a primary
standard must have a high molar mass. This
is to carry out the standardization reaction
on a reasonable scale. Weighing out large
samples reduces the error in the mass
measurement.
2. Is it possible to use NaOH as the
primary standard for HCl?
No. NaOH does not seem to satisfy
the properties of a primary standard. First,
it is not stable in air. NaOH is highly
hygroscopic [2]. It absorbs water from the air
and thus it cannot be accurately weighed.
Second, with a molar mass of approximately
40 grams per mole, NaOH is considered too
light.
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3. Discuss the basic components of the
unknown soda ash sample based on
the volume relationship at the
phenolphthalein and methyl orange
endpoints.
The soda ash sample can contain
Na2CO3, NaHCO3, NaOH or a mixture of the
three. In the experiment, Vph was the volume
of HCL used in phenolphthalein endpoint
while Vmo is the volume of HCL needed to
reach the methyl orange endpoint. If Vmo=0,
the sample only contains NaOH. If Vph=0, it
only contains NaHCO3. If Vph=Vmo, only
Na2CO3 is present. When Vph>Vmo, the sample
is made up of NaOH and Na 2CO3. When
Vmo>Vph the soda ash is composed of Na 2CO3
and NaHCO3.
In the experiment, Vmo>Vph thus, the
soda ash was composed of Na2CO3 and
NaHCO3.
4. Why is the mixture of NaOH and
NaHCO3 incompatible?
NaHCO3 possesses amphiprotic
properties and can serve as an acid and as a
base [2].  This makes it incompatible with
NaOH in nature.
5. Explain the rationale behind not
storing basic solutions in volumetric
glassware.
 Volumetric glassware contains a
Silicon compound which reacts with bases.
Basic solutions are thus not stored in
volumetric glassware because this reaction
can change the calibration of the glassware,
rendering it useless and inaccurate [3].
6. Why is there a need to boil the
distilled water in the preparation of base
solutions?
Boiling the distilled water will ensure
that any CO2 present in the water will be
removed. This is done to make sure that the
experiment will yield more accurate results
since presence of CO2 in water may form
Carbonic acid that will affect the neutral pH
level of water.
7. Why is there a need to boil the
solution before reaching the methyl
orange endpoint?
The solution is boiled to again remove
the CO2 that was formed during the titration
process with HCl, a strong acid. This will
give an accurate measure of the endpoint of
methyl orange.
8. Discuss the possible sources of
errors and their effect on calculated
parameters?
9. Discuss the cause of carbonate error
and its effect on the calculated values
on the calculated values obtained in
standardization and sample analysis.
The possible cause of carbonate error is
the anhydrous sodium carbonate. It is
because it absorbs CO2 and H2O from the
atmosphere. Consequently, CO2 will then
react with the alkali solution twice,
changing the pH of the solution to a more
acidic one, thus making the solution reach
the endpoint earlier than expected [4].
REFERENCES
[1] Brubackr,B. Four Characteristics of a
Primary Standard Substance.
https://sciencing.com/fourcharacteristi
cs-primary-standard-substance
8304038.html Retrieved 01 March 2020
[2] Skoog, Douglas A., Donald M. West, and
F.
James. Holler. Fundamentals of
analytical chemistry. 9th ed. Fort
Worth: Saunders College Pub., 1996.
Print.
[3] Petrucci, Ralph H. General chemistry:
principles and modern applications.
Toronto, Ont.: Pearson Canada, 2011.
Print.

There is a possibility that not all CO2 [4] Brown, T.L., Nelson, J.H. Chemistry: The
was boiled off, forming a buffer system. Central Science. Harlow, Essex: Pearson
Because of this, the endpoint of the
Education Limited, 2016. Print.
indicators will become less accurate, the pH
difference of minimal amount as well. A
lesser % compositions of both the solution
components will then be achieved.

Another possible error is the subjective

nature of titration especially during the
methyl orange indicator was used.
Distinguishing between yellow and near
orange color was difficult and there were
variations from student to student. This can
cause a difference in the % composition of
the solution.

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