Determination of Purity and Acid Dissociation Constant of Potassium Hydrogen Phthalate by Potentiometric Titration

DETERMINATION OF PURITY AND ACID DISSOCIATION
CONSTANT OF POTASSIUM HYDROGEN PHTHALATE BY

POTENTIOMETRIC TITRATION
A. ARNOCO1, J. REYES2
1
DEPARTMENT OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING, COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING
2
DEPARTMENT OF MINING, METTALURGICAL, AND MATERIALS ENGINEERING, COLLEGE OF
ENGINEERING
UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES, DILIMAN, QUEZON CITY, PHILIPPINES
DATE PERFORMED: November 04, 2016
INSTRUCTOR: INGUITO, J.N.
1. What are the significant regions in the 2. Why is continuous stirring important in
titration curve? Relate the characteristics potentiometric titration?
of each region to the pH results obtained. Continuous stirring is very important in
The significant regions in a potentiometric potentiometric titration so the titrant, NaOH is
titration curve are the initial, pre-equivalence, equally distributed throughout the analyte.
equivalence, and post-equivalence points. At Since the pH meter is fully immersed in the
the initial point, the pH value is simply the analyte, KHP, swirling cannot be done while
negative logarithm of the concentration of H+ in titrating the analyte [2].
the analyte. At pre-equivalence points, as the
strong base titrant is added to the analyte a 3. Why should the increments of addition of
buffer is produced therefore, the pH values do titrant be narrowed down as the titration
not change much as more of the titrant is approaches the equivalence point?
added. At the equivalence point, all the weak Since the equivalence point occurs at the
acid has been converted to its conjugate base region of the titration curve where there is
therefore neutralizing the analyte. At post- drastic change in pH even with very small
equivalent points, excess titrant is added addition of titrant, smaller increments of titrant
therefore, the pH values continue to increase [1]. must be added to have a clearer on where
exactly the equivalence point occurs [2].
4. Why is potentiometry a suitable method in

determining pKa of weak acids?
Using this method, the half-equivalence
point can be determined. At half-equivalence
point, half of the weak acid is already converted
to its conjugate base which has an amount
equal to that of the acid at half-equivalence
point. Looking at the equation for Ka,
HA (aq) + H2O (l) ↔ H3O+ (aq) + A- (aq)
Figure 1. Complete potentiometric titration

curve[a] K a =¿ ¿
Since the concentration of HA is equal to the
concentration of A- , then Ka= [H+] [3].
5. Discuss the possible reasons behind the

discrepancies (if any) in the experimental
and theoretical pKa values.
Discrepancies in the experimental and
theoretical pKa values may be caused by the
inaccurate pH value displayed by the pH meter
resulting to an incorrect pKa value. This could
have resulted from different mistakes in
handling the pH meter (e.g. failure to rinse the
electrode well) and the condition of the pH
meter itself (e.g. old apparatus) [2].
6. What are the possible sources of errors

and their effect on the calculated
parameters? Rationalize.
Possible sources of error may be from the

weighing of the primary standard, over
titration, and parallax reading of the volumes.
Not being able to read the volumes of the final
and initial titrant may cause discrepancies in the
standardization. Also, the reading of the volume
increments depended on two people which can
create discrepancies in the data too [4].
PHOTO CREDIT
[a] Complete Titration Curve; 2016.
REFERENCES
[1] Szabadváry, Ferenc. History of Analytical
Chemistry: International Series of Monographs
in Analytical Chemistry. Elsevier, 2013.
[2] Giri, B. Potentiometry in Analytical
Chemistry
http://www.nepachemistry.com/2011/03/pote
ntiometry-in-analytical-chemistry.html
(accessed Nov 10, 2016).
[3] Chemistry 135 Clark College
POTENTIOMETRIC TITRATION OF A ...
http://web.clark.edu/nfattaleh/classes/135/sp0
7/pottitrsp07.pdf (accessed Nov 10, 2016).
[4] Skoog, Douglas A., Donald M. West and F.
James Holler. "Fundamentals of Analytical
Chemistry 8th ed." Harcourt Brace College
Publishers. 1995.

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DETERMINATION OF PURITY AND ACID DISSOCIATION

CONSTANT OF POTASSIUM HYDROGEN PHTHALATE BY

4. Why is potentiometry a suitable method in

Figure 1. Complete potentiometric titration

5. Discuss the possible reasons behind the

6. What are the possible sources of errors

Possible sources of error may be from the

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