Determination of Calcium Carbonate Content of Various Eggshells Using

Back Titration

Raw Data

Hydrochloric acid concentration 1 moll^-1

Hydrochloric acid volume 25cm³
Volumetric flask 250cm³
Sodium Hydroxide Concentration 0.1 moll^-1

Shop Egg Titre 1 Titre 2 Titre 3

Initial burette 0 18.9 0
reading /cm³
Final burette 18.9 39.7 17.3
reading /cm³
18.9 20.8 17.3
Titre volume /cm³

Average titre = 18.1 cm³ (not including titre 2)

White Egg Titre 1 Titre 2 Titre 3

Initial burette 17.3 0 17.7
reading /cm³
Final burette 35.1 17.7 35.1
reading /cm³
17.8 17.7 17.4
Titre volume /cm³

Average titre = 17.75 cm³ (not including titre 3)

Results

General observations:

The end point of the reaction was observed when the colourless phenolphthalein solution turned a
pale shade of pink.

Shop Egg

CaCO3 + 2HCl CaCl2 + H2O + CO2

HCl + NaOH NaCl + H2O

n(NaOH for Shop) = 0.1 x 18.1/1000 = 1.81 x 10^-3

1.81 x 10^-3 x 10 = 1.81 x 10^-2

n(NaOH for Shop) = 1.81 x 10^-2

Acid reacted = 25 x 10^-3 – 1.81 x 10^-2

= 6.9 x 10^-3 (moles of reacted HCl)

 CaCO3 + 2HCl

Ratio 1:2

n 3.45 x 10^-3 6.9x10^-3

Mass of CaCO3 :

n x Mr = 3.45 x 10^-3 x 100.1

= 0.345g

% Purity = Calculate mass / Sample mass x 100

= 0.345/1 x100

= 34.5% CaCO3 in shop egg

White Egg

CaCO3 + 2HCl CaCl2 + H2O + CO2

HCl + NaOH NaCl + H2O

n(NaOH for white egg) = 0.1 x 17.75/1000 = 1.775 x 10^-3

1.775 x 10^-3 x 10 = 1.775 x 10^-2

n(NaOH for white egg) = 1.775 x 10^-2

Acid reacted = 25 x 10^-3 – 1.775 x 10^-2

= 7.25 x 10^-3 (moles of reacted HCl)

CaCO3 + 2HCl

Ratio 1:2

n 3.625 x 10^-3 7.25 x 10^-3

Mass of CaC03:

n x Mr = 3.625 x 10^-3 x 100.1

= 0.363g

% Purity = 0.363/1 x 100

= 36.3% CaC03 in white egg

Graph of % Purity
 Egg samples CaCO3 % Purity
36.50% 36.30%

36.00%

35.50%
% Purity

35.00%
34.50%
34.50%

34.00%

33.50%
Egg Sample

Shop White

Conclusion

The calcium carbonate (CaCO3) % purity of the shop egg was found to contain 34.5% CaCO3. The
calcium carbonate % purity of the white egg was found to contain 36.3% CaCO3.

Evaluation

The titration was repeated 3 times for both egg samples and a mean titre was calculated. This made
my results more accurate.

During the cleaning process, it was not possible to remove all membrane from the eggshell before it
was reacted with acid. This could have altered the volume of acid required to react with the base.

For my experiments:

Volumetric Flasks volume = 250cm³  0.3 cm³

% Uncertainty = 0.3 / 250 x 100

= 0.12%

Pipette Volume = 25cm³ ± 0.06 cm³

% Uncertainty = 0.06 / 25 x 100

= 0.24%

Balance = 1.00g  0.01g

% Uncertainty = 0.01 / 1.00 x 100

= 1%

Burette error: (for shop egg titre 1)

Shop egg titre 1 = 18.9cm³  0.1 cm3

% Uncertainty = 0.1/18.9 x 100 = 0.53%