To determine the mass of ascorbic acid in 100cm3 of lime juice

Introduction

Ascorbic acid, also known as vitamin c, can be found in lemon juice or lime juice. It will react
with sodium hydroxide to form aqueous sodium ascorbate as shown in the equation below. The
amount of vitamin c present in a juice can therefore be determined by titrating lime juice with
sodium hydroxide.

Chemical reaction: NaOH + C6H8O6 → H2O + C6H7O6Na

Apparatus
Apparatus Capacity Quantity
burettes 50cm 3
2
Pipette and pipette filler 25.0 cm3 1
Graduated flask 250cm3 1
Conical flaks 250cm3 2
Filter funnel 1
dropper 1
 Chemical Quantity
FA1 lime juice 20cm3
FA2 sodium hydroxide (0.1 mol
200cm3
dm-3
Methyl orange

1. Use a burette to measure between 20.00cm3 and 22.00 cm3 of FA1 into the
250cm3 volumetric(graduated)flask
2. Fill the flask to the 250cm3 mark with distilled water and mix the contents
thoroughly by shaking. This diluted solution is FA3.
3. Pipette 25.0cm3 of FA3 into a conical flask and add a few drops of the
indicator provided. Titrate the contents of the conical flask with FA2 until the
appropriate colour change is observed at the endpoint

4. Repeat step 1 to 3 twice

Raw quantitative data collection

Rough 1st 2nd 3rd

0 0 0 0
Initial burette
reading
(cm3 ±0.05 cm3 )

23 22.2 22.3 22.4

Final burette
reading
3 3
(cm ±0.05 cm )

23 22.2 22.3 22.4

Volume of 0.1mol
dm-3 sodium
hydroxide
delivered
Qualitative data

When sodium hydroxide is added, the solution turns from red to yellow and finally
green.

Calculation

NaOH + C6H8O6 → H2O + C6H7O6Na
22.3 −3
Mol of sodium hydroxide: ×0.1=2.23 × 10
1000
Mol of 25 cm 3 of diluted ascorbic acid reacted with sodium hydroxide ¿ 2.2 3× 10−3
Mol of 250 cm3 of diluted ascorbic acid ¿ 2.2 3× 10−3 ×10=2.23 ×10−2
Mol of 20 cm 3 of undiluted ascorbic acid¿ 2.23 ×10−2
Mol of 100 cm 3of undiluted ascorbic acid= 2.23×5 × 10−2=0.1115
Mass of ascorbic acid per 100 cm 3=0.1115 ×176=19.624 g

Conclusion
The result obtained from this experiment is 19.624 g, which is closed to the stated
value 20 g .The low percentage error and percentage uncertainty indicate the result is
reliable and accurate. Since the percentage error is larger than percentage
uncertainty, there are more systematic error than random error.

20−19.624
percentage error = ×100 %=1.92 %
19.624

Data processing Error propagation

Mean volume of sodium hydroxide Percentage uncertainty :
used (0.05+ 0.05+ 0.05)
22.2+ 22.3+ 22.4 ×100 %=0.5 %
¿ =22.3 cm
3 22.3
3

Random error
- 50cm3burette (± 0.05)
0.05÷ 50*100= 0.1%
- 250cm3 volumetric flask (± 0.01)
0.1÷ 250*100= 0.04%
- 25cm 3pipette ( ± 0.03 ¿
0.03÷ 25*100= 0.12%
Percentage uncertainty is 0.1 %+ 0.04 %+ 0.12 %=0.26 %
Total percentage uncertainty= 0.26 % +0.5 %=0.75 %

Evaluation

Types of errors How does it affect the Improvement

 result?
Random Error: Difficulty Titration may end earlier Use a colorimeter /
in judging or later due to the spectrophotometer / pH
colour change difficulty in perceiving sensor to standardise end
the colour. This results point colour.
in the value being
obtained higher or lower
than the desired value
Systematic error: Dilution Solution is always Use a different measuring
of solution diluted cylinder
due to water retention. before the reaction
takes
place, which means
lesser
than the desired
number of
moles of particles are
present in the reaction
vessel.
Systematic error: Reactant particles will Use a magnetic stirrer to
Inconsistent swirling always be mixed lesser ensure that they are mixed
of flask. than thoroughly.
required, resulting in
lesser
collisions, and slower
reaction, producing
lesser

Strengths
The experiment has low random error due to low uncertainty of the apparatus used.