CHM 204: Quantitative Analysis

Report 9:

Title of the experiment: precipitation titration

Names: Hiba Kurdi, Aline Obeid, Zuheir Al-Kasti

Semester: Spring 2023

Experiment Date: 22/3/2023

 A. Purpose of the experiment:
The purpose of this experiment is to determine the percentage of chloride, in a
given sample that contains a mixture of NaCl and NaHCO3 salts. A measured
excess of AgNO3 is added and the excess of silver ions is determined by back
titration with a standard solution of thiocyanate.
B. Theory:
The amount of chloride in a solid sample is determined following the steps:
1. Dissolving the solid in a known volume of water
2. Adding excess Ag+
to precipitate all the chloride (and some Ag+ will be left over). This is called
precipitation titrimetric, where one of the products formed is a precipitate (AgCl):
Ag+ + Cl− → AgCl(s)
3. Titrate the left-over Ag+ ions with thiocyanate. This is called back titration.
Back titration: a known excess of one standard reagent is added to the analyte. The
excess is then titrated with a second standard reagent. Back titration is carried out
when the reaction between the titrant and the analyte is very slow or when no
indicator is available for the titration. Back titration is often quicker than the direct
titration in case of a slow reaction between the titrant and the analyte.

C. Procedure:
A-Preparation and Standardization of the KSCN Solution:
Fill the burette with the KSCN solution. Take 20.00 mL of 0.10 M AgNO3
solution into an Erlenmeyer flask. Add 5 mL of HNO3 and a few drops of
indicator. Titrate until endpoint (faint red color). Repeat to have 3 trials.
B-Preparation and titration of the Unknown Chloride Solution:
Dissolve 0.5 grams of the unknown mixture solid (NaCl +NaHCO3) in 100 mL of
water using a VF. Pipet 20.00 mL of the solution prepared in 1, add 20 mL of 0.1
M AgNO3 solution, 5 mL of HNO3, and 3-4 drops of indicator. Titrate with KSCN
until endpoint (faint red color). Repeat to have 3 trials.
D. Tables of Data and Results:
A-Preparation and Standardization of the KSCN Solution:
Trials: Volume at equivalence (ml) +/-0.05
1 11.00
2 10.80
3 10.60

B-Preparation and titration of the Unknown Chloride Solution:

Trials: Volume at equivalence (ml) +/-0.05
1 7.80
2 8.50
3 7.50

Sources of errors:
- Impure apparatus
- Presence of bubbles in pipet
- AgCl is more soluble than Ag SCN, so any dissolved AgCl will
cause an error in our titration.
- Misreading of the meniscus
- Determining the end point when using a colored indicator is
difficult and susceptible to error.