Name: _______________________________________ Date: ______________

Group Number: _____Group 4____________________________ Score: _____________

Exercise No. 4

Assay of Milk of Magnesia

Objective: To assay the Magnesium hydroxide content of Milk of magnesia by acidimetric residual
titration

Materials: Milk of Magnesia

Sulfuric acid, 1 N (from Exercise #2)
1 N Sodium hydroxide (from Exercise # 1)
Methyl red T.S.
Erlenmeyer flask, 250 mL
Pipet
Acid biuret

Procedure:
ASSAY:
1. Weigh 5.0 g of Milk of Magnesia in an Erlenmeyer flask.
2. Add 25 mL of 1 N H2SO4 using a biuret. Then, add 3 drops of methyl red T.S.
3. Titrate the excess acid with 1 N Sodium hydroxide until a yellow color is produced.

Titer value: Each mL of 1 N Sulfuric acid is equivalent to 29.16 mg of Magnesium hydroxide.

Calculation

Calculate the % Magnesium hydroxide content of Milk of Magnesia using the fomula:

% Mg (OH)2 = (VH 2 SO 4 x N H 2 SO 4 ) – (VNaOH x NNaOH) x mEq wt. Mg(OH) 2

______________________________________ x 100
weight of sample (g)
 Data Trial 1 Trial 2

Weight of sample 5.0

Normality of sulfuric acid 29.6
Volume of 1 N Sulfuric acid 25 26
Normality of Sodium hydroxide 12 15
Volume of 1 N Sodium hydroxide

% Magnesium hydroxide
Average

Calculation of % Mg (OH)2 content:

Trial 1
Mg (OH)2
Mg = 1 x 24.3 = 24.3
O = 2 X 15.9 = 31.8
H=1x2=2
= 58.1

Trial 2

Average
Questions:
1. Differentiate direct and residual acidimetric titration.

The main difference between back titration and direct titration is that a back titration determines the
unknown chemical's concentration by measuring the residual quantity of a known compound, whereas a
direct titration directly measures the unknown substance's concentration.

2. What are the standard solutions used in the assay? Explain why they are used.

A known volume of acid solution can be standardized by titrating it against a known concentration of alkali
solution. Standard solutions are also often used to determine an analyte species' concentration. The
reference solution is used to determine the molarity of unknown species.

3. Does the Magnesium hydroxide content of milk of magnesia conform to the USP requirement? Justify

Yes, because magnesium is a naturally occurring mineral found in milk of magnesia. Many of the human
body's functions, particularly the muscles and nerves, require magnesium to function correctly. Magnesium
hydroxide, which is its chemical name, is also known as milk of magnesia.

4. Calculate the MgO content of milk of magnesia, 12.32 g of which was dissolved in 50 – ml of 1.034 N
sulfuric acid, producing a mixture that required 24.60 ml of 1.1255 N sodium hydroxide.

Molar masses: MgO =40.33 H2SO4 = 98.08 NaOH = 40.00

3.93 % MgO