Experiment 9 Potentiometric Titration of an Unknown Acid Mixture

Performed on February 11, 2016 and February 18, 2016

By Amanda Grennan
Submitted on March 3, 2016
To Barbara Allen

Objective

The objective is to perform a potentiometric titration to determine the

unknown concentrations of two acids in a mixture. To titrate both a strong
monoprotic acid hydrochloric acidl and a weak triprotic acid phosphoric acid
with a strong base sodium hydroxide, which will be also standardized in the
laboratory using KHP. When adding the standardized sodium hydroxide, the
pH will be measured and a titration curve will be later produced plotting
volume of base as a function of pH. By the use of the titration curve, the
volume of base needed to neutralize the amount of acid present in the
solution can be determined, which will allow for the acid concentrations to be
calculated.
Safety
Sodium hydroxide White corrosive pellets. Causes eye and skin burns.
Hygroscopic. May cause severe respiratory and digestive tract irritation with
possible burns. Company: VWR. Lot # 143990. Date: 08/12.
Potassium Hydrogen Phthalate KHP White. May cause skin and eye
irritation. May cause respiratory tract and digestive tract irritation. Low
hazard for usual industrial handling. KHP class name: Roger Rabbit.
Phenolphthalein Pale yellow. May cause skin and eye irritation. May cause
respiratory tract irritation. Lot # 1001357 Nov 5/13.
Hydrochloric acid Colourless to slight yellow. Corrosive. Causes eye and
skin burns. May cause severe respiratory tract and digestive tract irritation
with possible burns. May be harmful if swallowed. Hygroscopic.
Phosphoric acid Corrosive liquid. May cause severe respiratory and
digestive tract irritation with possible burns. Causes severe skin and eye
burns. Harmful if inhaled.
Data Analysis/Calculations
Mass KHP
Initial burette
reading
Final burette
reading
Total volume
dispensed

Trial 1
0.8036g
0.05mL

Trial 2
0.8053g
1.00mL

Trial 3
0.8092g
2.00mL

51.00mL

52.00mL

53.02mL

50.95mL

51.00mL

51.02mL

0.8036g KHP / 204.22g/mol = 0.003950mol KPH = 0.0039350mol NaOH

0.0039350 mol / 0.05095L = 0.077232M NaOH

0.8053g KHP / 204.22g/mol = 0.0039433mol KPH = 0.0039433mol NaOH

0.0039433mol / 0.05100L = 0.077320M NaOH
0.8092g KHP / 204.22g/mol = 0.0039624mol KPH = 0.0039624mol NaOH
0.0039624mol / 0.05102L = 0.077664M NaOH
Average molarity NaOH = (0.077232M+0.077320M+0.077664M) / 3 =
0.07741M NaOH

Potentiometric Titration of Unknown #84 Acid Mixture

Volume to reach first equivalence point 1st derivative (x): 16.93mL

Volume to reach second equivalence point 1st derivative: 26.04mL
(y) = 26.04mL 16.93mL = 9.11mL
mol NaOH = 0.07741M NaOH x (0.01693mL 0.00911mL) = 0.00060535mol
NaOH
0.00060535mol NaOH = 0.00060535mol HCl
M HCl = 0.00060535mol HCl / 0.025L = 0.02421M HCl
mol NaOH = 0.07741M NaOH x 0.00911L = 0.00070521mol NaOH
0.00070521mol NaOH = 0.00070521mol H3PO4
M H3PO4 = 0.00070521mol H3PO4 / 0.025L = 0.02821M H3PO4
Discussion

In this experiment, an acid mixture of HCl (strong monoprotic acid) and

H3PO4 (weak triprotic acid) was titrated with NaOH (strong base) to neutralize
the acids and reach the equivalence points. When the standardized NaOH
was being added, the pH of the solution was being continuously measured
and a titration curve was created plotting volume NaOH dispensed as a
function of pH. By the use of the titration curve, the volume of base needed
to neutralize the amount of acid present in the solution was determined.
Since H3PO4 is a triprotic acid, its first proton is accounted for in the first
titration along with HCl. The second equivalence point is accounting for the
second proton of H3PO4.
A possible source of error is in relation to the solution storage bottles.
Because this experiment required two weeks to complete, when the bottles
were washed, water droplets remained inside the bottle, which would have
slightly diluted the NaOH after standardization. Another possible source
could be the calibration solutions for the pH meter. The pH 10 solution was
unavailable so the pH meters could not be properly calibrated.
Conclusion
The molarity values of a mixture of hydrochloric acid and phosphoric acids
were determined by a potentiometric titration using sodium hydroxide, which
was first standardized using KHP. In unknown acid mixture #84, the
concentration of hydrochloric acid is 0.02421M and the concentration of the
phosphoric acid is 0.02821M.