Example 1

A solution of pure barium hydroxide is 2.74 % (w/v). 20.0 cm 3 of this solution required 18.7
cm3 of a hydrochloric acid solution for complete neutralisation using phenolphthalein
indicator. Calculate the molarity of the hydrochloric acid solution.
Solution
Concentration of Ba(OH)2 = 2.74 g/ 100 cm3 of solution
𝑛𝑢𝑚𝑏𝑒𝑟 𝑜𝑓 𝑚𝑜𝑙𝑒𝑠 2.74 𝑔 3
Molar concentration = 𝑉𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑚𝑒 𝑖𝑛 𝑑𝑚3 = ( 𝑔 )/0.100𝑑𝑚 =0.1599 mol dm
-3
171.34
𝑚𝑜𝑙

Moles of Ba(OH)2 in 20.0 cm3 = moles x volume

= 0.1599 moldm-3x 20.0 cm3 x 1dm3/1000 cm3
= 0.003198 mol
Balanced reaction
Ba(OH)2 + 2HCl → BaCl2 + H2O
Mole ratio
𝑛𝐵𝑎(𝑂𝐻)2 𝑛𝐻𝐶𝑙
=
1 2

𝑛𝐻𝐶𝑙 = 2 × 0.003198 mol = 0.006396 mol

𝑚𝑜𝑙𝑒𝑠 0.006396 𝑚𝑜𝑙 𝑚𝑜𝑙
Concentration of HCl = 𝑣𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑚𝑒 = 18.7 ×10−3 𝑑𝑚3 = 0.34 𝑑𝑚3
Example 2

A 0.500 g sample of Na2CO3 were treated with 32.5 cm3 of hydrochloric acid, HCl, which
was in excess. After the reaction, the excess HCl was titrated with sodium hydroxide, NaOH,
solution, of which 12.3 cm3 was required. In a separate experiment, 12.6 cm 3 of the same
HCl required 13.9 cm3 of NaOH solution. What are the molarities of NaOH and HCl?
Solution
First ensure you understand the chemical reactions taking place.
First balanced reaction is
𝑁𝑎2 𝐶𝑂3 (𝑠) + 𝟐𝐻𝐶𝑙(𝑎𝑞) → 𝟐𝑁𝑎𝐶𝑙 (𝑎𝑞) + 𝐻2 𝑂(𝑙) + 𝐶𝑂2 (𝑔)
The second balanced reaction is
𝑁𝑎𝑂𝐻 + 𝐻𝐶𝑙(𝑎𝑞) → 𝑁𝑎𝐶𝑙 (𝑎𝑞) + 𝐻2 𝑂(𝑙) (same as reaction for separate experiment)

So now let’s solve the question step by step.

Let x= concentration of HCl in mol/L and y= concentration of NaOH in mol/L.
So we can calculate the number of moles for each species i.e.
𝑚𝑎𝑠𝑠 (𝑖𝑛 𝑔𝑟𝑎𝑚𝑠) 0.500 𝑔
𝑛𝑁𝑎2 𝐶𝑂3 = 𝑔 = = 0.004716 𝑚𝑜𝑙
𝑚𝑜𝑙𝑒𝑐𝑢𝑙𝑎𝑟 𝑚𝑎𝑠𝑠 (𝑖𝑛 ) 106 𝑔/𝑚𝑜𝑙
𝑚𝑜𝑙
𝑚𝑜𝑙 32.5 𝑐𝑚3 𝑚𝑜𝑙
𝑛𝐻𝐶𝑙 𝑖𝑛 32.5 𝑐𝑚3 = 𝑣𝑜𝑙 (𝑖𝑛 𝑙𝑖𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑠) × 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑐 (𝑖𝑛 )= 3 ×𝑥
𝐿 𝑐𝑚 𝐿
1000 𝐿
= 32.5 × 10−3 𝑥 𝑚𝑜𝑙
1
These are the total number of moles of HCl that was used in the titration experiment not the
other experiment that followed but you must remember that it’s the same HCl implying it will
have the same concentration.
Next, calculate the number of moles of NaOH in the titration
𝑚𝑜𝑙 12.3 𝑐𝑚3 𝑚𝑜𝑙
𝑛𝑁𝑎𝑂𝐻 𝑖𝑛 12.3 𝑐𝑚3 = 𝑣𝑜𝑙 (𝑖𝑛 𝑙𝑖𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑠) × 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑐 (𝑖𝑛 )= 3 ×𝑦
𝐿 𝑐𝑚 𝐿
1000 𝐿
= 12.3 × 10−3 𝑦 𝑚𝑜𝑙
The reaction of Na2CO3 and HCl is a 1:2 mole ratio. Cross multiply and solve for z.
1 mol 𝑁𝑎2 𝐶𝑂3 → 2 mol 𝐻𝐶𝑙
0.004716 𝑚𝑜𝑙 𝑁𝑎2 𝐶𝑂3 → 𝑧 𝑚𝑜𝑙 𝐻𝐶𝑙
2 𝑚𝑜𝑙 𝐻𝐶𝑙 × 0.004716 𝑚𝑜𝑙 𝑁𝑎2 𝐶𝑂3
𝑧= = 0.009432 𝑚𝑜𝑙 𝐻𝐶𝑙
1 𝑚𝑜𝑙 𝑁𝑎2 𝐶𝑂3
These are moles of HCl that reacted with Na2CO3 out of the 32.5 x 10-3 x mol HCl
So we can make an equation knowing that excess HCl was neutralized by 12.3 cm 3 of
NaOH which reacts in a 1:1 mole ratio implying moles of NaOH are the moles of HCl.
32.5 × 10−3 𝑥 𝑚𝑜𝑙 − 0.009432 𝑚𝑜𝑙 = 12.3 × 10−3 𝑦 𝑚𝑜𝑙
Or
32.5 × 10−3 𝑥 𝑚𝑜𝑙 − 12.3 × 10−3 𝑦 𝑚𝑜𝑙 = 0.009432 𝑚𝑜𝑙
32.5𝑥 − 12.3𝑦 = 9.432
Now we turn to the separate reaction. In this reaction 12.6 cm 3 of HCl reacted completely
with 13.9 cm3 of NaOH and again this is a 1:1 mole ratio hence number of moles in each of
these volumes must be equal assuming concentrations of these reagents are the same x
mol/L HCl and y mol/L NaOH respectively.
Therefore 12.6 x mol =13.9 y mol. Make x the subject and replace in the previous equation.
13.9𝑦
𝑥=
12.6
13.9 𝑦
32.5 × − 12.3𝑦 = 9.432
12.6
= 35.85𝑦 − 12.3𝑦 = 9.432

𝑚𝑜𝑙 𝑚𝑜𝑙
𝑦 = 0.400 𝑁𝑎𝑂𝐻 and 𝑥 = 0.441 = 𝐻𝐶𝑙
𝐿 𝐿

Note that this was a final examination question and costs more marks hence you
need to pay attention when solving long answer questions

2
Example 3
A 50.0 mL aliquot of 0.1 M calcium nitrate is added to a 1.0 g sample containing sodium
fluoride. After the calcium fluoride precipitate has been filtered and collected, the excess
calcium (II) is titrated with EDTA. This titration needs 24.20 mL of 0.05 M EDTA. Calculate
the percent of NaF in the sample.

Ca(NO3)2 (aq) + 2NaF (s)  CaF2 (s) + 2NaNO3 (aq)

Ca2+(aq) + EDTA4-(aq) Ca(EDTA)2- (aq)

Solution
I have cut out explanatory reasoning but you can follow a step by step analysis.
50.00 mL mol
Total Ca(NO3)2 = ×0.1000 =0.005 mol
1000 mL/L L
24.20 mL mol
Total EDTA == ×0.05 =0.00121 mol
1000 mL/L L

1 mol of Ca2+ reacts with 1 mol EDTA4-

 moles of excess Ca2+ that reacted with EDTA4- = 0.00121 mol
Mol of Ca2+ that reacted with NaF = 0.005 – 0.00121 = 0.00379 mol
1 mol Ca2+ reacts with 2 mol NaF according to the equation
mol of NaF that reacts with 0.00379 Ca2+ = 0.00379 x 2= 0.00758mol
mass of NaF = mol NaF x molar mass NaF
= 0.00758mol x [(23.00 + 19.00)g/mol]= 0.00758 mol x 42 g/mol
= 0.31836 g
mass of NaF 0.31836 g
Percent NaF in sample = mass of sample ×100%= ×100%
1.0 g

= 31.836 % = 31.84 %