Titrations involve reacting a substance of unknown concentration with another substance of known concentration to determine the unknown concentration. They are commonly performed using neutralization reactions between acids and bases. The document outlines the steps for performing a titration, including preparing and using a burette and pipette, choosing an appropriate indicator, and calculating concentrations based on the titration results. Potential sources of error are also discussed.
Titrations involve reacting a substance of unknown concentration with another substance of known concentration to determine the unknown concentration. They are commonly performed using neutralization reactions between acids and bases. The document outlines the steps for performing a titration, including preparing and using a burette and pipette, choosing an appropriate indicator, and calculating concentrations based on the titration results. Potential sources of error are also discussed.
Titrations involve reacting a substance of unknown concentration with another substance of known concentration to determine the unknown concentration. They are commonly performed using neutralization reactions between acids and bases. The document outlines the steps for performing a titration, including preparing and using a burette and pipette, choosing an appropriate indicator, and calculating concentrations based on the titration results. Potential sources of error are also discussed.
Titrations involve reacting a substance of unknown concentration with another substance of known concentration to determine the unknown concentration. They are commonly performed using neutralization reactions between acids and bases. The document outlines the steps for performing a titration, including preparing and using a burette and pipette, choosing an appropriate indicator, and calculating concentrations based on the titration results. Potential sources of error are also discussed.
Titrations Titrations are done often to find out the concentration of one substance by reacting it with another substance of known concentration. They are often done with neutralisation reactions, but can be done with redox reactions.
Typical neutralisation reaction
NaOH + HCl
NaCl + H2O
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10
20
30
One substance (generally the one we
dont know the concentration) is put in the conical flask. It is measured using a volumetric pipette. The other substance is placed in the burette
40
50
However, the standard phrase: titrate
solution A with solution B means that A should be in the conical flask and B should be in the burette.
Method for carrying out titration
rinse equipment (burette with acid, pipette with alkali, conical flask with distilled water)
burette
conical flask pipette
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Using the pipette
pipette 25 cm3 of alkali into conical flask touch surface of alkali with pipette ( to ensure correct amount is added)
Make sure bottom
of meniscus is on line on neck of pipette
Using the burette
Burette. Should be rinsed out with substance that will be put in it. Dont leave the funnel in the burette. Generally add acid solution from burette make sure the jet space in the burette is filled with acid
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Reading the burette
Read the bottom of the meniscus on the burette
This is reading 9.00cm3
The burette readings should always be given to 2dp
Adding indicator
add a few drops of indicator and refer to colour change at end point phenolphthalein (pink to colourless: end point pink colour just disappears) [use if NaOH is used]
phenolphthalein Alkali colour
phenolphthalein acid colour
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Methyl orange Methyl orange is a suitable indicator for several neutralisation reactions and is red in acid and yellow in alkali. It is orange at the end point.
use a white tile underneath the flask to help observe the
colour change
Methyl orange Alkali colour
Methyl orange end point
Methyl orange acid colour
Titration add acid to alkali whilst swirling the mixture and add acid dropwise at end point note burette reading before and after addition of acid repeats titration until at least 2 concordant results are obtained- two readings within 0.1 of each other Safety precautions Acids and alkalis are corrosive (at low concentrations acids are irritants) Wear eye protection and gloves If spilled immediately wash affected parts after spillage If substance is unknown treat it as potentially toxic and wear gloves
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Concordant results Working out average titre results Only make an average of the concordant titre results Titration number 1
Initial burette reading (cm3 )
0.50
2.50
1.55
Final burette reading (cm3 )
24.50
27.00
25.95
Titre (cm3 )
24.00
24.50
24.40
Average titre = (24.50+ 24.40)/2 = 24.45
lf 2 or 3 values are within 0.10cm3 and therefore concordant or close then we can say results are accurate and reproducible and the titration technique is good/ consistent
Titrating mixtures If titrating a mixture to work out the concentration of an active ingredient it is necessary to consider if the mixture contains other substances that have acid base properties. If they dont have acid base properties we can titrate with confidence.
Testing batches In quality control it will be necessary to do titrations/testing on several samples as the amount/concentration of the chemical being tested may vary between samples
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Titration calculations A titration is normally done to find out the concentration of one substance by reacting it with another substance of known concentration. The method is the same 3 step method for doing any calculation using a balanced equation aA+bB Volume & conc of A(aq)
Moles A
products
xb a
Conc of B(aq)
Moles B
Question. If 25 cm3 of HCl is reacted with 22.4cm3 of 2M NaOH, what
would be the concentration of the HCl? step 1: work out the number of moles of NaOH Number of moles = conc x vol Number of moles = 2 x 22.4/1000 moles of NaOH= 0.0448 mol step2 :use the balanced equation to work out the moles of HCl NaOH + HCl
NaCl + H2O
1 mole NaOH reacts with 1 mole HCl 1:1 ratio
So 0.0448 moles NaOH will react with 0.0448 moles HCl Step 3: work out the conc of HCl concentration =
moles volume (in
. = 0.0448 . (25/1000)
= 1.79 M
dm3)
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20cm3 of an unknown concentration of H2SO4 was titrated with 0.25M
NaOH. 18.7cm3 of NaOH was required for neutralisation. What is the concentration of H2SO4 ? step 1: work out the number of moles of NaOH Number of moles = conc x vol Number of moles = 0.25 x 0.0187 moles of NaOH= 4.68 x 10-3 mol step2 :use the balanced equation to work out the moles of H2SO4 H2SO4 + 2NaOH 2 Na2SO4 + 2H2O 2 mole NaOH reacts with 1 mole H2SO4 2:1 ratio So 4.68 x 10-3 moles NaOH will react with 2.34 x 10-3 moles H2SO4 Step 3: work out the conc of H2SO4 concentration =
moles volume (in
. = 0.00234 .(20/1000)
= 0.117 M
dm3)
Exam Question (a) 100 cm3 of a standard solution of Na2CO3 was produced by dissolving 0.537 g of Na2CO3 in water in a volumetric flask. Calculate the concentration, in mol dm3, of the Na2CO3 solution. (b) On titration, 25.00 cm3 of the Na2CO3(aq) solution from (a) required 23.75 cm3 of hydrochloric acid for complete neutralisation. Calculate the concentration, in mol dm3, of the hydrochloric acid. Na2CO3(aq) + 2HCl(aq) 2NaCl(aq) + H2O(l) + CO2(g)
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Questions on errors What effect would each of the errors described below have on the calculated value of the concentration of sodium hydroxide? a The burette is not rinsed with the sodium hydroxide solution. b The pipette is not rinsed with the potassium hydrogenphthalate solution. c The tip of the burette is not filled before titration begins. d The conical flask contains some distilled water before the addition of potassium hydrogenphthalate.
Reducing errors To reduce the error in a burette reading it is necessary to make the titre a larger volume. This could be done by: increasing the volume and concentration of the substance in the conical flask or by decreasing the concentration of the substance in the burette.
