LAB#10

TITLE: Acid – Base equilibria

TOPIC: Choice of indicators

AIM: To determine the basis of an indicator used in an acid – base titration

APPARATUS/ MATERIALS: 0.1M ethanoic acid. 0.1M NaOH, 0.1M NH3, 0.1M HCl, pipette,

burette, retort stand, beakers, conical flask, white tile, dropper, phenolphthalein, methyl orange

and universal indicators.

METHOD:

1. HCl (25cm3) was pipette into a conical flask and 3 drops of phenolphthalein was added.

2. The burette with NaOH was filled up to the zero mark.

3. The NaOH was slowly run from the burette into the conical flask until the end point of

the reaction.

4. The volume of the NaOH used in a suitable table was recorded.

5. The procedure was repeated using universal indicator and then methyl orange instead of

phenolphthalein

6. The entire experiment was repeated using ethanoic acid instead of HCl with NaOH

7. The experiment was repeated using ethanoic acid and aqueous ammonia.
RESULTS:\

TABLE SHOWING THE AMOUNT OF NAOH USED WITH EACH INDICATOR TO

NEUTRALIZE THE HCL.

Phenolphthalein Methyl Orange Universal

Indicator

Initial 0 0 0

Final 30.2 31.5 5.1

Volume Used 30.2 31.5 5.1

TABLE SHOWING THE AMOUNT OF NAOH USED WITH EACH INDICATOR TO

NEUTRALIZE THE CH3COOH

Phenolphthalein Methyl Orange Universal

Indicator

Initial 0 0 0

Final 25.6 25.7 25.9

Volume Used 25.6 25.7 25.9

TABLE SHOWING THE AMOUNT OF NH3 USED WITH EACH INDICATOR TO

NEUTRALIZE THE CH3COOH

Phenolphthalein Methyl Orange Universal

Indicator

Initial 0 0 0

Final 29.3 29.5 29.9

Volume Used 29.3 29.5 29.9

DISCUSSION:
 An indicator is any substance that gives a visible sign, usually by a colour change, of the

presence or absence of a threshold concentration of a chemical species, such as an acid or an

alkali in a solution. Acid – Base / pH indicators detect the presence of H+ and OH-.

They do this by changing colour when reacting with H+ and OH-.These indicator include:

Litmus (Litmus paper), Phenolphthalein, Bromothymol Blue, Universal Indicator. A

neutralization reaction is when an acid and a base react to form water and a salt and involves

the combination of H+ ions and OH- ions to generate water. The neutralization of a strong

acid and strong base has a pH equal to 7. The neutralization of a strong acid and weak base

will have a pH of less than 7, and conversely, the resulting pH when a strong base neutralizes

a weak acid will be greater than 7. The end point is the point at which no further titrant

should be added, this is usually indicated by a colour change in an indicator or some other

measurable change. A strong acid is one that completely ionizes (dissociates) in water and a

strong base dissociates completely in aqueous solutions to form hydroxide ions (OH-).

Common examples of strong bases are the hydroxides of alkali metals and alkaline earth

metals, such as NaOH and Ca(OH)2.

Titration of a strong acid with a strong base

Most indicators can be used for a strong acid and a

strong base, e.g. methyl orange & phenolphthalein

because their range falls within the vertical part of

the curve. Phenolphthalein is often preferred

because its colour change is more obvious.

Titration of a strong acid with a weak base

The sharpest change in the pH curve for a strong acid and a weak base is between pH 3.0 and

7.5. As the equivalence point is approached, the pH will change more gradually, until finally

one drop will cause a rapid pH transition through the equivalence point. Methyl orange is a

suitable indicator because its range falls within the vertical part of the curve. Phenolphthalein

is unsuitable because its colour change does not correspond to the vertical part of the curve.

It would only change colour slowly after the equivalence point. In strong acid-weak base

titrations, the pH at the equivalence point is not 7 but below it. This is due to the production

of a conjugate acid during the titration; it will react with water to produce hydronium (H3O+)

ions.

Titration of a weak acid with a strong base

The sharpest change in the pH curve for a weak

acid and a strong base is between pH 7.0

and 11. Phenolphthalein is a suitable

indicator because its colour change

corresponds to the vertical part of the curve.

Methyl orange is not a suitable indicator

because their range does not fall within the vertical part of the curve. It would only

change colour slowly after the equivalence point.

Titration of a weak acid with a weak base

A solution of a weak acid cannot be titrated with

a weak base using an indicator cause none of
the indicators would show a sudden change
to find the end-point because the pH is
changing slowly However if the difference in
 volume is small between the equivalence and end points, then the indicator can be used.
Since a gradual change implies more volume must be added to obtain the same pH
change in other acid base titration so the most suitable indicator would be the universal
indicator because it detects a higher range of pH than methyl orange and phenolphthalein.

CONCLUSION:

It can be concluded that the most suitable indicator for the titration of a strong acid with a

strong base is phenolphthalein, strong acid with a weak base is methyl orange, weak acid

with a strong base is phenolphthalein for weak acid with a weak base universal indicator.