BCB 103L

Experiment 6

Name of the experiment: Titration of oxalic acid with sodium hydroxide using phenolphthalein
as indicator.

Principle

The most common method for determining the concentration of a solution is via titration. A
titration involves reacting a solution of unknown concentration against a known standard to
reach an endpoint, often signaled by an abrupt color change in the reaction mixture.

Titrant or standard: solution of a known concentration, which is added to another solution whose
concentration has to be determined. A standard is a compound whose composition is
unchanged by light or heat and one that is not hygroscopic, meaning that it does not readily
absorb water from the atmosphere.

Titrand or analyte: the solution whose concentration has to be determined.

Equivalence point: point in titration at which the amount of titrant added is just enough to
completely neutralize the analyte solution. At the equivalence point in an acid-base titration,
moles of base = moles of acid and the solution only contains salt and water.

Endpoint: refers to the point at which the indicator changes color in an acid-base

titration.

The titrant reagent is carefully added to the other reagent until an equivalence point is reached.
The endpoint of a titration typically occurs after a few drops of excess titrant are added, past the
equivalence point.
BCB 103L
Experiment 6

The majority of acid / base reactions involve colorless products and therefore the equivalence
point and endpoint are not visually detectable. To allow for the identification of the endpoint, an
indicator is added at the start of the reaction. An indicator is a substance that changes color
depending on the pH of the solution.

In this lab you will be standardizing (determining the concentration of) an oxalic acid solution by
titrating it against a sodium hydroxide standard according to the reaction:

H2C2O4(aq) + 2NaOH(aq) → Na2C2O4(aq) + 2H2O

Apparatus
Chemicals
Required 1. Burette
Required 1. H2C2O4
2. Pipette
2. NaOH
3. Conical Flask
4. Dropper
5. Distilled Water Bottle

Procedure

1. Pipette out 10ml of oxalic acid and transfer it to a conical flask and add a few drops of
phenolphthalein indicator.

2. Charge a burette with the supplied sodium hydroxide solution and titrate it with oxalic acid
until the solution turns pink.

3. Repeat the titration at least two more times.

Observation and Result [Sample]

No. of Initial Final burette Difference (ml) Mean volume
observations burette reading (ml) of sodium
reading hydroxide
(ml) solution (ml)

1 0.00 23.5 23.5 23.83

2 23.5 47.5 24
 3 0.00 24.0 24

BCB 103L
Experiment 6

Calculation
Volume of oxalic acid used per titration= 10ml
Concentration of sodium hydroxide solution= 0.5M

Number of moles of sodium hydroxide = Concentration x Mean volume of oxalic acid

(L) H2C2O4(aq) + 2NaOH(aq) → Na2C2O4(aq) + 2H2O

Mole ratio of H2C2O4: NaOH = 1:2

Therefore, the number of moles of Sodium hydroxide= 2 x Number of moles of oxalic acid

Hence, the concentration of oxalic acid = number of moles of oxalic acid/ volume of oxalic acid
used per titration

Useful Links

▪ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sy9WFcSZ3xs

Safety Precautions

Wear safety goggles. Wash your hands thoroughly before leaving the lab.

Sodium hydroxide, Oxalic Acid Dihydrate, and Phenolphthalein:

▪ If ingested, immediately rinse mouth and drink plenty of water

▪ If it comes in contact with your skin, remove contaminated clothing and wash before
reuse. Wash the skin immediately with soap and water.
▪ If it comes in contact with your eyes, rinse eyes for at least 15 minutes with water.
Remove contact lenses if worn prior to rinsing.
BCB 103L
Experiment 6

Exercise
 1. Give at least two characteristics desirable in a standard solution.
2. Define equivalence point and titration end point. Do these two points in a titration occur
when the same volume of titrant has been added? Explain.
3. Explain why it is a good technique to wash the sides of the conical flask before the
titration. 4. Why is it important to make sure that the endpoint is noted accurately?

References

▪ Titration curves & equivalence point (article) | Khan Academy. (2021). Retrieved from
https://www.khanacademy.org/test-prep/mcat/chemical-processes/titrations-and
solubility-equilibria/a/acid-base-titration-curves