Determining Ka for Ethanoic Acid

Purpose: To use titration to calculate Ka for ethanoic acid and determine the percentage of
ethanoic acid molecules that ionized in the solution.

Safety: Ethanoic acid and sodium hydroxide are corrosive. Rinse with water if contact occurs.

Procedure:
1. Record the NaOH concentration in your notebook. Create a table to record your data.
2. Label a clean, dry 150 mL beaker for each liquid. Obtain about 40 mL of ethanoic acid
solution and approximately 70 mL of sodium hydroxide solution.
3. Measure the pH of the ethanoic acid solution using pH paper, or a pH meter if one is
available. Record this value.
4. Rinse a clean burette with about 10 mL of sodium hydroxide solution. Discard the rinse
into the 250 mL waste beaker. Set up a retort stand, burette clamp, and rinsed burette.
5. Use a funnel to fill the burette with the sodium hydroxide solution. Make sure that the
solution fills the tube below the burette tap and contains no air bubbles.
6. Rinse a pipette with a few millilitres of ethanoic acid solution and discard the rinse. Pipette
10.00 mL of ethanoic acid solution into the Erlenmeyer flask. Add two or three drops of
phenolphthalein indicator to the flask. Place a sheet of white paper under the flask.
7. Perform the titration. The endpoint is a faint pink colour that remains after swirling the
contents of the Erlenmeyer flask for at least 10s. Measure the volume of base required to
reach the endpoint. Repeat the titration as time permits until you have at least two sets of
data that agree with each other within 2 percent error. Photograph your apparatus.
8. Clean all glassware. Rinse the pipette and burette with distilled water. Leave the burette
tap open to dry.

Discussion Questions

1. Write the balanced chemical equation for the neutralization reaction you performed.
2. Calculate the molar concentration of the ethanoic acid, [CH3COOH]. Use the ratio in
which the acid and base react, determined from the chemical equation.
3. Calculate [H3O+] using your measurement of the pH of the ethanoic acid solution.
4. Write the expression for Ka, the acid-dissociation constant, of ethanoic acid in water.
5. Set up an ICE table and substitute equilibrium concentrations into your expression for Ka.
Calculate the value of Ka and percent of ethanoic acid molecules that ionized in solution.
6. Calculate the percent difference between your value for Ka of ethanoic acid and the
accepted value. State two sources of error that might account for any differences.
7. Do the values you calculated for [H3O+] and [CH3COOH] demonstrate that ethanoic acid
is a weak acid? Explain your answer.

Assignment
1. Introduction: State the purpose of the investigation. Describe titration and Ka.
2. Procedure: Describe the process followed in paragraphs. Write in passive past tense.
Include photos of any apparatus used labelled with figure number and description below.
3. Results: Produce numbered observation table(s) with descriptive title on top.
4. Discussion: Use paragraph form. Describe your results briefly. Answer your discussion
questions, using a bracket to identify where the supporting data can be found. i.e. (see
Table 1) or (see Figure 1). State any experimental errors.
5. References: Follow the suggested format for references in the body of the assignment as
well as the reference page. (APA with internal citations)
Write-Up: /36

1. Introduction
1. Purpose – 1
2. Description of titration and Ka –2

2. Procedure
1. Past tense and passive voice – 2
2. No point form/ numbered lists – 1
3. Image of apparatus with figure number and description below - 2

3. Results
1. Table
i. Tabular form – 1
ii. Table number – 1
iii. Descriptive title on top – 1

4. Discussion
1. Balanced chemical equation - 1
2. Calculation of [CH3COOH] - 2
3. Calculation of [H3O+] - 2
4. Expression for Ka of ethanoic acid in water – 2
5. ICE table, calculation of Ka value, and percent ethanoic acid ionized - 5
6. Percent difference between calculated and accepted Ka - 2
7. Experimental Errors – 2
8. Explanation how concentrations demonstrate weak acid - 1
9. Described/referred to results – 1

5. References
1. Internal – 1
2. Reference Page - 1
3. Format – 1

6. Formatting
1. Title Page – Lab title, name, partners, date, teacher – 1
2. Header – Name and lab title - 1
3. Page numbers (every page except title page) – 1
4. Section headings – 1