Creating Solution of Standard Molarity

Mohamed Sacko
Brittany Foster
Chemistry 1251L-932
February 22, 2015
Introduction
The purpose of this lab was to make solutions from of different molarities using a solution of
known molarities. It was mostly based on the dilution equation. A spectrophotometer was used to
find the transmittance of the different solutions and a formula was derived to estimate the
absorbance of any solution knowing only its concentration. Using the same process, the
concentration of a solution was determined using transmittance and the absorbance values.
Procedure
Four solution of molarity 0.05, 0.1, 0.2, 0.5 are collected and kept for reference. A first solution
was made using 2.49g of CuSO4H2O to get a solution containing 0.5 M of Cu2+. Using the
dilution formula, another 20 mL solution of molarity 0.2 was made using 8mL of the previous
solution. Subsequently, it was determined that 10mL of the 0.2M solution was needed to make
20mL of a 0.1 M solution. Finally 20mL of molarity 0.05 was made from 10 mL of the solution
of 0.1M. The standards solutions were brought to a spectrophotometer and their transmittance
values were recorded into a table. The absorbance of the solution were determined with the
Absorbance formula. Using those values, a graph was made in excel to determine the best fit line
of absorbance in term of concentration. The same experience was undergone using the solutions

previously made. The absorbance were recorded and compared to the standard absorbance. There
are two ways to compute the absorbance of the solutions: using the equation of the line or using
the transmittance. Both methods were done and the results were compared to each other. The
transmittance of an unknown solution was then measured using the spectrophotometer. Using the
equation of the best fitted line, the concentration of the solution was found.
Results
Standards Solutions
The transmittance of the standard solutions provided in lab was found using the
spectrophotometer. The results were recorded in the table below.
Concentration of
%T
T
Absorbance
Standards (M)
0.05
89.2
0.892
0.050
0.1
79.8
0.798
0.098
0.2
63.0
0.63
0.200
0.5
30.8
0.308
0.511
Table 1 Absorbance of Standard Solutions using Transmittance
Using excel a Calibration curve was made and the equation of the best was found as
y=1.0449 x0.0065
2

r =0.9992
r2 is the measure of good fit of the data and the curve. The closer r2 is to 1, the more precise the
concentration of the solution is.

Absorption of Copper (II) Sulfate Solution

0.6

0.5200

0.5

f(x) = 1.05x - 0.01

R = 1

0.4

Absorption 0.3

0.1965

0.2
0.1057
0.1
0

0.0443
0

0.1

0.2

0.3

0.4

0.5

0.6

Concentration (mol/L)

Figure 1 Equation of Absorption in knowing the concentration

The closest value of the absorbance of those standard solutions was found using the line equation
found previously
Absorbance

Concentration
x-value

y=1.0449 x0.0065

0.05
0.046
0.1
0.098
0.2
0.203
0.5
0.518
Table 2 Absorbance of Standard Solutions using the Equation
Made Solutions
As stated earlier, the transmittance value of the solutions was given by the spectrophotometer.
The absorbance was found using the conversion factor
A=2log ( %T )=log ( T )

A Cu2+ solution of molarity 0.5M was to be found. To do so, the number of mole in a 20mL
sample was calculated then the mass of Cu2+
2+
M
1L
20 ml
2+=
=mol Cu
1 L 1000 mL
1
2 +
Cu
mol
mol Cu
1L
M =

( )(

)(

2+

1 mol Cu
1 mol CuS O4 5 H 2 O

2+
mol Cu

This allowed to make a 20 mL solution using the

g CuSO 4 5 H 2 O

found. The other solutions

were derived from the first one by applying the dilution equation
M cLc =M dLd

The unknown variable was

M cLc =M d20 mL x=

Lc necessary to make the molarity of the other solution

M d20 mL
0.5

Thus, x mL of the 0.5M solution was needed to make a 20mL solution of molarity M d . The
same process was used to make the other solutions.
The transmittance of the made solutions was found using the spectrophotometer and eventually
the absorbance using the same formula as with the standard solutions.

Concentration of
%T

Absorbance

Standards (M)
0.05
90.3
0.044
0.1
78.4
0.106
0.2
63.6
0.197
0.5
30.2
0.520
Table 3 Absorbance of Made Solutions using Transmittance
It is possible to find the real concentration of those solutions knowing the value of the
absorbance and the equation of best line fit. By rearranging the formula we can figure out the
concentration of any solution knowing the absorbance value
x=

y+ 0.0065
1.0449

Concentration
0.05
0.1
0.2
0.5

Absorbance y
Actual Concentration x
0.044
0.048
0.106
0.108
0.197
0.195
0.520
0.504
Table 4 Actual Concentration of Made Solutions

Unknown Solution
An unknown solution was brought to the spectrophotometer and a transmittance value was
found. Using the calibration curve, it is possible to find its concentration.

y=1.0449 x0.0065
y is the value of the absorbance and can be found using the absorbance formula:
y=log T =log(0.468) . The concentration x can be found by rearranging the formula

x=

y+ 0.0065 logT + 0.0065

=
1.0449
1.0449

Solution
Unknown

%T
Absorbance
46.8
0.330
Table 5 Concentration of Unknown Solution

Concentration (M)
0.32

Discussion
Solution

Concentration of

Concentration of

Calculated

Number
1
2
3
4

Standard Solution
0.05
0.1
0.2
0.5

Made Solution
0.048
0.108
0.195
0.504

% Error
4%
8%
2.5%
0.8%

%Error=

|measured valueactual value|

actual value

100

There is a slight difference between the standard values and the made solution mainly because of
the dosage in the volume of the solution while making them. Another error could come from the
reading on the scale while preparing the first solution. Last, but not least, the value of the
absorbance could also present some errors.

Solution number

Absorbance of

Absorbance of Made

Calculated

1
2
3
4

Standard Solution
0.050
0.098
0.200
0.511

Solution
0.044
0.106
0.197
0.520

%error
12%
8.16%
1.50%
1.76%

%Error=

|measured valueactual value|

actual value

100

The results show an error of less than 10% for the most part, which indicates that the technique
used is pretty accurate. It is important to mention that the error could have come from the
molarities of the made solutions.
The absorbance and concentration of a solution have a linear relationship. According to the BeerLambert law, the fraction of the light absorbed by layers of a solution are the same. The more
concentrated the solution is, the higher the absorbance will be. However, this does not apply to
very high concentrated solutions. The technique uses a linear equation to express the absorbance
in term of concentration and vice versa. The method is pretty simple to apply and the error is
minimized as opposed to the transmittance method which uses a logarithmic relationship. Errors
could have occurred when making the first solution using the calculated weight. In addition, the
volume measured while making the solution could be slightly off at some point.

Conclusion

This lab had two main objectives. The first was to make a solution of a certain molarity from a
known solution using the dilution equation. The second objective was to find the absorbance of
those solutions using two methods: the transmittance value and the line equation between the
absorbance and the concentration. Both of those objectives were successfully met. Everything
went according to the procedures, expect a few differences between the results using the two
methods stated earlier. The main source of the error was probably in the molarities of the
solutions. When making the solutions, a slight difference in the measured volume could mean a
lot when using a logarithmic equation. Ultimately, the line equation was found to be better suited
when for those computations for low concentration solutions.
Simple Calculations
1- Absorbance of Standard Solutions:

A=log ( T )

A 0.05 M =log ( 0.892 )=0.050

A 0.1 M =log ( 0.798 )=0.098
A 0.2 M =log ( 0.630 )=0.200
A 0.5 M =log ( 0.308 )=0.511
2- Absorbance using the calibration curve
y=1.0449 x0.0065

with Absorbance = y and Concentration = x

A 0.05=1.04490.050.0065=0.046

A 0.1=1.04490.10.0065=0.098
A 0.2=1.04490.20.0065=0.203
A 0.5 =1.04490.50.0065=0.518
4- Calculation of the Actual Concentration

2 +

mol

Cu
1L

2+
1L
20 mL
=0.01 mol Cu
1000 ml
1
M =

)(

1 mol Cu2+
1 mol CuS O4 5 H 2 O

2+
0.01mol Cu
- To make the 0.2 M solution

0.5Lc =0.220 mL x=

0.220 mL
=8 ml
0.5

- To make the 0.1 M solution

0.2Lc =0.120 mL x=

0.120 mL
=10 ml
0.2

- To make the 0.05 M solution

0.1Lc =0.0520 mL x=

0.0520 mL
=10 ml
0.1

5- Absorbance Calculations:

A=2log ( %T )

A 0.05 M =2log ( 30.2 )=0.520

A 0.1 M =2log ( 63.6 )=0.197
A 0.2 M =2log ( 78.4 )=0.106
A 0.5 M =2log ( 90.3 )=0.44
6- Actual Concentrations

x=

y+ 0.0065 logT + 0.0065

=
Where T = transmittance, y = Absorbance and x =
1.0449
1.0449

Concentration
Actual Molarity 0.05 M =

log ( 0.044 )+ 0.0065

=0.05 M
1.0449

Actual Molarity 0.05 M =

log ( 0.106 ) +0.0065

=0.10 M
1.0449

Actual Molarity 0.05 M =

log ( 0.197 ) +0.0065

=0.19 M
1.0449

Actual Molarity 0.05 M =

log ( 0.520 ) +0.0065

=0.50 M
1.0449

7- Unknown Solution

x=

y+ 0.0065 log(0.468)+ 0.0065

=
=0.32 M
1.0449
1.0449

8- %Error between Concentration of Standard and Made Solutions

0.050.048 100 =4
0.05
%error 0.05 =

%error 0.1=

%error 0.2=

|0.10.108|
0.1

100 =8

|0.20.195|
0.2

100 =2.5

0.50.504 100 =0.8

0.5
%error 0.5=
9- %Error between Absorbance of Standard and Made Solutions

0.0500.044 100 =12

0.05
%error 0.05=
100 =8.16
0.098
%error 0.1=

0.0980.106

100 =1.5
0.200
%error 0.2=

0.2000.197

100 =1.76
0.511
%error 0.5=

0.5110.520