CHEM 28.

1 PROBLEM SET 1
(Review for Midterm Exam)

A. Modified True or False. Write TRUE if the statement is true. If the statement is false, change the underlined word(s)
to make the statement true.

1. Random errors affect the precision of a set of measurements.
2. The fertilizer sample used in gravimetry experiments is an example of a homogeneous representative sample.
3. The essential water present in Ca(OH)2 is water of crystallization.
4. The type of moisture that is removed upon oven-drying at 110C is primarily occluded water.
5. Ammonia was added slowly to the mother liquor in order to decrease relative supersaturation.
6. If the volume of HCl titrant that is required to reach the phenolphthalein endpoint is less than the additional volume
required to reach the methyl orange endpoint, then the component(s) of the sample are NaOH and Na2CO3.
7. The color change at the methyl orange endpoint in double-indicator titration is yellow to orange.
8. One mole of acetylsalicylic acid reacts with one mole of NaOH.
9. The primary standard used in standardizing the NaOH that was reacted with ASA is Na2CO3.
10. The uncomplexed diprotic form of Eriochrome Black T is wine red in color.
11. As the solution becomes more acidic, the conditional formation constant of a metal-EDTA complex increases.


B. Cause and Effect. Predict the effect of the given condition on the indicated parameter. Answer with INCREASE,
DECREASE, NO EFFECT, or INDETERMINATE. Explain your answer in not more than two brief sentences.

Condition Parameter
1. An outlier was included in the calculation of the statistical parameters of
a data set. In
calculated standard deviation
2. The crucible was weighed immediately after oven-drying. Inc measured mass of crucible
3. NH4Cl instead of NH3 was used to precipitate the phosphorus in the
fertilizer sample. Dec
calculated % P2O5 (dry basis)
4. The distilled water used to prepare the HCl titrant in the soda ash
experiment was not boiled. dec
calculated molarity of HCl
5. The aspirin sample had basic components aside from ASA. calculated % ASA
6. A pH of 9 was used in the water hardness determination. apparent water hardness
7. Excess HCl was added in preparing the CaCO3 primary standard solution
(for standardization of EDTA).
calculated molarity of EDTA


C. Rationalization. Explain the rationale of the following in not more than three brief sentences.

1. The precipitate in the gravimetry experiment was washed with 95% ethanol after distilled water.
2. The soda ash sample solution was boiled before reaching the methyl orange endpoint.
3. MgCl26H2O was added to the standard EDTA solution.


D. Problem Solving. Show your complete solutions and box your final answers. Express your answers in the proper
number of significant figures.

1. A soda ash sample containing NaOH (39.997 g/mol), NaHCO3 (84.007 g/mol), Na2CO3 (105.989 g/mol) or a compatible
mixture of the bases was to be analyzed using double-indicator titration. To standardize the HCl titrant, Na2CO3
primary standard (purity = 99.95%) was titrated by the HCl solution to a phenolphthalein endpoint. Three trials were
performed, and the results are shown at the topmost portion of the back page.

Trial 1 2 3
Mass of Na2CO3, g 0.1221 0.1204 0.1217
Volume of HCl, mL 11.55 11.20 11.35
Three trials were also performed for the titration of the alkaline sample. The results are in the following table, where
V1 is the volume of HCl needed to reach the phenolphthalein endpoint and V2 is the additional volume needed to reach
the methyl orange endpoint.

Trial 1 2 3
Mass of sample, g 0.2008 0.2042 0.2031
V1, mL 20.07 20.58 20.53
V2, mL 12.54 13.00 12.86

(a) What is the mean molar concentration of the HCl standard solution? (Note that you will also use this in #2)
(b) What are the components of the alkaline sample?
(c) Calculate the mean percentage of each component of the alkaline sample.
(d) Calculate the standard deviation and coefficient of variation of the percentage of each component.
(e) Determine the confidence interval of the percentage of each component at the 95% confidence level.

Students t values at 95% confidence level
Degrees of freedom 1 2 3 4 5 6
t95% 12.71 4.303 3.182 2.776 2.571 2.447

Critical values for the rejection quotient Q (95% confidence level)
N 3 4 5 6
Q95% 0.970 0.829 0.710 0.625

2. An aspirin tablet was analyzed for its acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) content. A 0.2293-g aspirin sample was dissolved in
water and allowed to react with 10.00 mL of standard NaOH solution at elevated temperature. After the reaction, a
10.00-mL aliquot of this solution was taken and diluted to 50.00 mL. The diluted solution was titrated with 14.50 mL
of the standard HCl solution used in the soda ash experiment in #1. Note that the standard NaOH solution was
standardized by taking a 5.00-mL aliquot of this solution, diluting it to 100.00 mL, and then used to titrate 0.1508 g of
KHP (99.90% purity, 204.22 g/mol), which required 15.00 mL of the titrant. Calculate the following:
3.
(a) molarity of the standard NaOH solution; and
(b) % ASA (180.157 g/mol) in the aspirin sample.

4. A fertilizer sample was subjected to moisture and phosphorus determination using the gravimetric method that we
employed in Experiments 2 and 3. The data that were gathered were as follows:
Constant weight of empty crucible: 34.8225 g
Mass of fertilizer (as received): 3.0028 g
Constant mass of crucible + fertilizer (dried): 37.3227 g
Mass of dried precipitate: 1.1284 g
(a) Calculate the % moisture of the sample.
(b) What is the chemical composition of the precipitate (molar mass = 245.41 g/mol)?
(c) Calculate the % P (30.97 g/mol) and % P2O5 (141.94 g/mol) of the sample, both in the as received basis and in
dry basis.

5. A 100.00 mL spring water sample was subjected to analysis and consumed 5.98 mL of the standard EDTA solution. For
the standardization, 0.5035 g CaCO3 (FW = 100.09 g/mol) of 99.97% purity was dissolved to make a 250.00 mL
solution. From this, a 50.00 mL aliquot was drawn and then titrated using 20.46 mL EDTA.
(a) Calculate the molarity and titer of the EDTA solution.
(b) What is the total hardness of the water sample?

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