Experiment 3

Experiment Name: Preparation of a primary standard solution of oxalic acid and standardization of a supplied
NaOH solution.
1 What is primary standard substance?
Ans A primary standard substance is a very pure chemical used in chemistry tests to measure the amount of
another substance accurately. We use them because they are highly reliable and help ensure precise measurements,
making our experiments and analyses more accurate.
2 What is a secondary standard substance?
Ans A secondary standard substance is a substance that is not as pure or stable as a primary standard but is
still used as a reference in chemistry experiments. We use secondary standards when it’s difficult to obtain primary
standards, or when a high level of purity isn’t essential for the specific experiment, as they can provide reasonably
accurate results in practical situations.
3 What color does the solution of diluted NaOH attain when a few drops of the phenolphthalein indicator is
added?
Ans Pink
4 Show the reaction regarding this experiment.
Ans H2 C2 O4 (aq) + 2NaOH (aq) → Na2 C2 O4 (aq) + 2H2 O
5 Why phenolphthalein indicator is used in this experiment?
Ans Phenolphthalein is used as an indicator in the standardization of NaOH solution because it helps detect the
endpoint of the titration accurately and reliably by changing color when the reaction between the primary standard
(oxalic acid) and NaOH is complete.
Phenolphthalein is suitable for titrations that involve a pH range of around 8.2 to 10.0, which is typical for strong
acid (e.g., oxalic acid) titrations with strong bases (e.g., NaOH). If the titration involves a different pH range, a
different indicator may be preferred.

Experiment 4
Experiment Name: Preparation of a primary standard solution of Na2 CO3 acid and standardization of a supplied
HCl solution.
1 Show the reaction regarding this experiment.
Ans Na2 CO3 + 2HCl → 2NaCl + H2 O +CO2
2 What will be the color of the solution of Na2CO3 after adding methyl orange indicator?
Ans Pale yellow. Stop titration when the solution becomes orange or faint pink.
3 Why Methyl Orange indicator is used in this experiment?
Ans Methyl orange is commonly used as an acid-base indicator in titration experiments. Its color change at a
specific pH range makes it suitable for determining the endpoint of acid-base reactions. For example, it’s used in
titrations involving strong acids and weak bases or strong bases and weak acids. Methyl orange has a relatively
narrow pH range for its color change, making it appropriate for titrations that occur within the pH range of about
3.1 to 4.4.