PW N°03 : Precipitation Titration with Colored Indicator: Mohr's Method

I. Introduction :
I.1 Colorimetric Titration of Chloride Ions Using Mohr's Method

Mohr's method is a titration method for chlorides. It involves argentometric titration of

chloride ions with silver nitrate in the presence of sodium chromate. The latter serves as the
colored indicator that reacts at the end of the titration to form silver chromate, appearing as a
brick-red precipitate. This method is named after the German pharmacist Karl Friedrich
Mohr.

I.2. Principle

The white complex of silver chloride (AgCl) is more stable than the brick-red complex of
silver chromate (Ag2CrO4) because the formation constant of silver chloride is greater than
that of silver chromate. Therefore, silver ions (Ag +) will preferentially react with chloride
ions, forming the white AgCl complex according to the reaction equation (I). Once all
chloride ions are consumed, silver ions will react with chromate ions (CrO 42-) to form the
brick-red colored complex according to the reaction equation (II):

(I) Ag+ + Cl- ↔ AgCl Ks1=1,77.10-10

(II) 2Ag++CrO42- ↔ AgCrO4 Ks2=1,12.10-12

I.3. Objectives :

The objective of this experiment is to determine the concentration of chloride ions in common
household products..

I. Experimental Procedure

II.1. Materials and Reagents:

- 25 ml Burette

1
 - 50 ml Beaker
- Magnetic Stirrer
- Silver nitrate (AgNO3) solution with a concentration of 10-1 mol/L
- Potassium chromate (K2CrO4) solution with a concentration of 2 x 10-1 mol/L

II.2. Analysis of Tap Water:

 Procedure:
- Pipette 10 ml of tap water into a 50 ml beaker.
- Add 1 ml of potassium chromate (K2CrO4) solution with a concentration of 2 x 10-1
mol/L.
- Titrate the contents of the beaker with silver nitrate (AgNO3) solution with a
concentration of 10-1 mol/L.
- Stop the titration when the brick-red coloration of silver chromate persists.