Strong acid- strong base

In this exercise a group of three students performed an experiment, to determine the percentage mass of sodium
hydroxide in a powdered sodium hydroxide-lithium hydroxide mixture. Each of the three students has his own job.
All experiments are performed at 25 0C.

Available glassware:
Given :
 Volumetric flasks: 100ml , 250 ml , 500 ml
 Volumetric pipets: 1 ml , 5ml , 10 ml Both NaOH and LiOH are strong bases
 Beaker: 50 ml , 100 ml , 250 ml
Molar masses in g.mol-1 : NaOH = 40 ;LiOH = 24
 Buret: 25 ml 50 ml, 100ml

1. Study of hydrochloric acid solution:

Student number one’s job was to study hydrochloric acid solution (H3O+ + Cl-) to be used for titration.
He prepared 500 ml solution (S) from an initial concentrated solution (S0) of concentration C0 = 1 mol.L-1
by diluting it 100 times. The PH of the prepared solution (S) is found to be pH(S) = 2.
1.1.Choose from the glassware available in the laboratory, those that are appropriate to prepare solution (S).
1.2.Show that hydrochloric acid solution is a strong acid.
1.3.Write the equation of dissociation of hydrogen chloride (HCl) in water.
1.4.Explain the aim of diluting the titrating solution.

2. pH –metric titration
The second student has followed the following procedure with high precision.
i. He weighed a mass m= 0.5 g sample of the sodium hydroxide-lithium hydroxide mixture and dissolved it
in 1L distilled water to prepare a basic solution (B).
ii. He took a volume Vb = 10 ml of the basic solution (B), and introduced it into 250 ml beaker.
iii. Then he added 70 ml of distilled water to the beaker to immerse the pH-meter electrode.
iv. He started the titration by adding progressively the hydrochloric acid solution (S). Some remarkable points
of the titration are grouped in the following graph.

1
 2.1.By referring to the titration procedure.
2.1.1. Extract from the curve a detail that shows that the titration refers to strong acid –strong base
titration.
2.1.2. The coordinates of equivalence point were E (13.5; 7). By referring to the species present in the
solution at equivalence:
a) Explain the pH nature at this point of titration.
b) Write the equation of the reaction taking place in the beaker at this equivalence point.
2.1.3. Determine the value of pH when the volume of acid added is Va = 25 ml.
2.1.4. Find the concentration of HO- ions present in solution (B).
𝑚(𝑁𝑎𝑂𝐻) 0.5 − 𝑚(𝑁𝑎𝑂𝐻)
2.2.Show that: + = n(HO-)total
𝟒𝟎 𝟐𝟒
Where n(HO-)total represents the total number of mole of HO- ions present in solution (B) and m(NaOH)
represents the mass of NaOH in the sample of the sodium hydroxide-lithium hydroxide mixture.
25
2.3.After calculations the equation in part 2.2 becomes: m(NaOH) = 24 – 50× n (HO-)total
Deduce the percentage by mass of sodium hydroxide in the mixture.

3. Experimental mistakes:
The third student performed colorimetric titration by following the same steps i, ii, iii, and iv, but by using
colored indicator instead of PH-meter. This student did not follow the same accuracy rules as the second
student. The volume VE’ added to reach equivalence is VE’ > 13.5 ml.
Indicate, among the steps listed below, which step(s) had caused this error. Justify your answer in each
case.
A. The 10 ml volumetric pipet used to take Vb was filled a little bit above the line mark.
B. The volume of water added to the beaker before carrying out titration was greater than 70 ml.