Introduction

In this lab, the process of titration was used to determine the concentration of the

acetic acid solution of vinegar. The molarity and percent of the vinegar solution could

then be calculated. This lab is completed by having vinegar mix with sodium hydroxide.

The equivalence point between the two solution was seen by a change in the color from

the indicator.

The two solutions in this lab are vinegar (CH3COOH) and sodium hydroxide

(NaOH) The vinegar is an acid and the sodium hydroxide is a base. The combination of

an acid and a base is a neutralization reaction. In a neutralization reaction, the reactants

are a base and an acid and the products created are a salt and water. The equation for this

reaction is CH3COOH(aq)+ NaOH(aq) !! H20(L) + CH3COONa(aq).

Titration is the process in which a known concentration of acid or base can be

added to another solution with a possible unknown concentration to create a neutral

solution. Aweak acid or base is used as an indicator of a pH change. In this lab,

phenolphthalein is used as the indicator. The pH changes greatly when the equivalence

point is reached. Therefore, the solution with phenolphthalein in it will change color as

the solution is neutralized. The vinegar was the acid so from the testing of the affect of

phenolthalein in part A, it was recognized that until the solution became slightly basic,

the color would remain clear. 1 drop before the color kept the pink color was when the

reaction was neutralized and had equivalence. At that point, the solution was neither a

base or an acid but instead neutral with a pH of 7. The goal from these results was to find

the concentration of the vinegar.

From knowing the concentration of the one solution, along with the data

collected, the concentration of the other solution (the vinegar) can be found with

stoichiometry.

The titration process relates to chemistry class as it uses knowledge of

concentration, pH, acids, bases, equilibrium, and neutralization. The world outside the

chemistry class uses the titration technic in many different applications. One application

is Blood Sugar Testing. A small machine called the blood glucose meter measures the

amount of glucose in a diabetic’s blood. A small sample of blood is put on a test strip,
mixed with reactants and given a slight electrical current. The affect the blood has tells

the concentration of the reactants and is then used to measure the amount of glucose in

the blood.

Data Table

Part 1: Affect of Phenolphalein Indicator on Reactants

Part 1

Reagents A

dded

Observations

O
H

Cloud o

b
Part 2: Vinegar and NaOH Titration

Calculations

1. For the titration of vinegar, calculate the volume of NaOH needed to reach the

equivalence point.

59mL – 6mL = 53mL = 0.053L

2. Calculate the number of moles of NaOH needed to neutralize the vinegar.

0.053L NaOH x .5mol NaOH = 0.0265mol NaOH

1L

3. How many moles of acetic acid are contained in the sample of vinegar?

.0265mol NaOH = .0265mol Acetic Acid

Tube C

HCl

Clear so

lution

Tube D

Vinegar

White c

loud a

t top

Tube E

Ammonia

Pink c

loud a

t top

Part 2

Trial 1
Volume of Vinegar

.0005 Liters

Molarity of NaOH

.5 M

Volume of HCl

(Initial reading)

6mL

Volume of HCl

(Final reading)
4. Calculate the mass of the acetic acid in the vinegar.

.0265mol Acetic Acid x 60g Acetic Acid = 1.59g Acetic Acid

1mol Acetic Acid

5. Calculate the mass of the vinegar sample.

.005L Vinegar x 1g H

2O = 5g H2O

.001L

5g H20 + 1.59g Acetic Acid = 6.59 g Vinegar

6. Calculate the percent acetic acid in vinegar by dividing the mass of the solute by the

mass of the solution and multiplying by 100.

1.59g Acetic Acid

100

31.8% acetic acid in vinegar

5g H2O

Analysis and Conclusion Questions

1) Would you use an acid or a base as a standard when titrating against a solution of

soda pop? Why?

A base would be used since soda pop is acidic. In order to neutralize the solution, a base

would be needed to combine with the acid.

3) When selecting an appropriate chemical indicator, one should choose an indicator

that will undergo a shift to a darker color. Why?