DATE: 10/01/23

TITLE: Sodium chloride preparation by titration

AIM: To investigate the titration of sodium chloride using Methyl Orange.

APPARATUS & MATERIALS: 50cm3 of 0.1M Hydrochloric acid, conical flask, Methyl Orange
indicator, 1ml dropper, Biuret, 0.1M NaOH, Pipet, Evaporating dish, Bunsen burner, Retort Stand,
Filter funnel

DIAGRAM:

DIAGRAM 1 SHOWING TITRATION OF HCL

AND METHYL ORANGE MIXTURE

DIAGRAM 2 SHOWING EVAPORATION OF TITRATED HCL METHYL ORANGE

MIXTURE
METHOD:
1. 25cm3 of 0.1M HCL was pipetted into a conical flask and two drops of Methyl Orange
indicator were added to the conical flask.
2. A clean biuret was filled with 0.1M NaOH and used to titrate the acid.
3. The volume of NaOH necessary to neutralise the acid was noted. (This was when the acid
turned peach)
4. The solution was discarded and the conical flask was washed
5. Another 25cm3 of 0.1M HCL was pipetted into the conical flask.
6. The biuret was filled with 0.1M NaOH
7. The volume of acid noted previously was added to the biuret
8. The solution was poured into an evaporating dish and heated gently until all the water was
boiled.

RESULTS:
Colour of HCL: clear
Colour of NaOH: clear
Colour of indicator in acid: pink
Colour of solution without indicator: clear
Volume of NaOH required for neutralisation: 27.5ml
Volume of HCL used: 50cm3
Description of Salt: white and powdery

DISCUSSION:
Titration was used to make this salt as titration is used to make soluble salts and sodium
chloride is a soluble salt. If precipitation was used instead, the salt would not have formed and been
dissolved in the water. Using an acid and insoluble hydroxide would allow for the formation of this
salt.
Sodium Hydroxide was used as it is an insoluble hydroxide and insoluble alkali is needed for
titration. Hydrochloric acid was used as an acid is needed to combine with the insoluble hydroxide to
form the salt. The sodium from the Sodium Hydroxide reacts with the Chlorine from the Hydrochloric
acid to form Sodium chloride.
Evaporation was used instead of crystallisation to get the salt back as evaporation just gets rid
of the water and leaves the salt behind but if crystallisation was used the soluble salt would dissolve in
the water and the salt would not become crystals.

PRECAUTIONS:
- It was made sure that a dropper was used to accurately measure the Methyl Orange Indicator
- It was made sure that the water used to wash the salt formed was freezing cold so the salt
would not dissolve

SOURCES OF ERROR:

LIMITATIONS:
- The Methyl Orange indicator was too diluted to show proper results of titration
- The conical flask was left under the biuret for too long.
ASSUMPTIONS:
- It was assumed that the stopwatch started on 0.
- It was assumed that the Methyl Orange indicator was pure.

CONCLUSION:
HCL and Methyl Orange was added to a conical flask and NaOH was used to titrate this acid.
To neutralise the acid and indicator mixture, NaOH was added and as a result it turned peach. The
solution was then made again and was evaporated and cooled until it crystallised.

REFLECTION:
Industries usually create Sodium Chloride (NaCl) by evaporating seawater. This relates to the
experiment in a way that we were also required to evaporate the acid alkali mixture to obtain the salt
crystals.