EXPERIMENT NO.

8
Date :

pH METRIC TITRATION

AIM OF THE EXPERIMENT : To find the strength of supplied acid by pH-metric titration against
a standard alkali.

APPARATUS REQUIRED :
1. pH meter
2. Burette
3. Pipette
4. Beaker

CHEMICAL REQUIRED

1. Buffer solution (pH 4.0 & 9.2)

2. Hydro chloric acid (HCl)
3. Standard NaOH solution

PRINICPLE :

Standardisation of pH Meter
All pH meters, have provision for standardising the glass electrode in a buffer solution of
known pH. This is necessary because different electrodes have different assymetry potentials.
Once the adjustment has been made, so that the meter register correctly the known pH of the
buffer solution. The instrument gives pH of other solution without any calculation.

pH titration
Measurements of pH can be employed to monitor the course of acid base titration. The
pH values of the solution at different stages of acid base neutralisation are determined and are
plotted against the volumes of the acid / alkali added. On adding a base to an acid, the pH rises
1
slowly in the initial stage pH = log H+ then it changes rapidly at the end point. Then it flattens

out. The end point of the titration can be detected where the pH changes most rapidly. However,
shape of the inflexion point (i.e. where the pH changes abruptly) and symmetry of the curve on
its two sides, depends upon the ionisability of the acid and the base used and on the basicity of
the acid and acidity of the base.

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PROCEDURE :
1. Standardise pH meter.
2. Clean the electrodes by distilled water and soak with tissue paper.
3. Take 25 ml of HCl solution in100 ml beaker and immerse the electrodes. The pH shown is
the pH of the supplied unknown solution.
4. Set up a burette containing standard sodium hydroxide solution.
5. Add NaOH solution gradually from the burette, 0.5 ml in a lot. Note the corresponding value
of pH from the pH meter. Continue this process till the pH value of the solution is just
beyond 7.
6. Plot a graph between pH and volume of NaOH added. From the graph, determine the volume
of NaOH required for the complete neutralisation of HCl.

7
pH

Vol. of alkali (in ml)

CALCULATION :
At the neutralisation point
N1V1 = N2V2

Where N1 = Normality of HCl.

V1 = Volume of HCl required for titration.
N2 = Normality of NaOH.
V2 = Volume of NaOH.
N2 V2
N1 =
V1
Strength of HCl solution = N 1 x Eq. wt. of HCl (i.e. 36.5)
= .......................... g/l

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 DEPARTMENT OF CHEMISTRY
Roll No. :
Branch :
Date :

AIM OF THE EXPERIMENT :

OBSERVATION TABLE :

No. Volume of NaOH pH

of Obs. added (ml)

1 0.0
2 0.5
3 1.0
4 1.5
5 2.0
6 2.5
7 3.0
8 3.5
9 4.0
10 4.5
11 5.0
12 5.5
13 6.0
14 6.5
15 7.0
16 7.5

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CALCULATION :

CONCLUSION :

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Questions for Discussion.

1. Define the term pH.

2. Is pH dependant upon temperature ?
3. What is buffer solution ?
4. What are glass and calomel electrodes and how they are represented ?
5. What are applications of pH measurement ?
6. What do you mean by a pH scale ?
7. What is the significance of pH titrations ?
8. Name some buffer solutions present in our body.
9. Why hydrogen electrode is generally not used in pH measurement ?
10. What are the advantages of using a glass electrode ?

Rough Work

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