SPECTROPHOTOMETRIC DETERMINATION OF THE EQUILIBRIUM

CONSTANT OF A REACTION
J.B. NACOMEL

DEPARTMENT OF MINING, METALLURGICAL AND MATERIALS ENGINEERING, COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING

UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES, DILIMAN, QUEZON CITY, PHILIPPINES

DATE PERFORMED: JUNE 25, 2015

ABSTRACT

The main purpose of this experiment is to determine the equilibrium constant of the reaction of Fe2+
with SCN- which forms the product Fe(SCN)2+. This was done using Spectrophotometric Analysis and
Beer-Lambert's Law. The calibration function y=2432.7x + 0.0116 with a coeffiecient of linearity equal to
0.9887, was established and was applied in determining the [Fe(SCN)2+]eq in the unknown solutions.
Furthermore, the calculated [Fe(SCN)2+]eq was used to determine [Fe3+]eq and [SCN-]eq. With these
information on hand, the Keq can then be calculated. Experiment results showed that the Keq for this reaction
is equal to 201.67 a value which has 77.34% deviance from the literature value of 890. This large difference
may be caused by the limitations of the Beer-Lambert Law, the tendency to have impure reagents from the
preparations done and the conditions at which the absorbance is measured.

INTRODUCTION
METHODOLOGY
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION
The experiment was done using a UV-Vis
spectrophotometer and the Beer-Lambert Law. The
measured
absorbance
of
the
different
concentrations were plotted against their respective
concentrations and by applying linear regression the
calibration curve was found out to be y = 2432.7x +
0.0116. The coefficient of linearity which is
r2=0.9887 is an acceptable value since it does not
deviate largely from 1 which is the ideal value. Using
this equation, we were able to find values of
concentrations of the products and reactants and
eventually the Keq=201.67. From literature, the
accepted value of Keq for the reaction studied is 890,
giving us a difference of 77.34%. This large
difference tells us that the experiment is failure.
There are several possibilities as to why we
obtained a large difference. One is the purity of the
reagents used, there is a huge tendency for the
reagents to be impure because of the environment
where the solutions were

prepared. Also, the solutions may have been

exposed to different conditions while the
absorbance is measured. Another one is the
limitations of the Beer-Lambert Law. The law only
works if the absorbances are measured at the a
single wavelength and if only the absorbing species
contributes to the absorbance. Although we made
sure that we have a single wavelength we are not so
sure of the second condition since there are
impurities.
To avoid these errors, the solutions must be
prepared by a single person in an isolated area
where impurities cannot interfere. We also have to
make sure that the chosen calibrated curve is the
best so that it can give the maximum sensitivity for
concentration studies and give the least alteration in
absorbance value. It is also suggested that the
solutions be settled for some time at the area where
the absorbance would be measured so that the
conditions would strictly be same all throughout.
Any change in conditions such as temperature
should also be considered.
REFERENCES
[1] Petrucci, R. H., Herring F. G. Madura, J. D.,
Bissonnette, C. General Chemistry: Principles and
Modern Applications, 10th ed. Pearson Education.
Canada. 2011.

[2] Combined Equilibria. (n.d). Retrieved from

Bodner
Research
Web:
http://chemed.chem.purdue.edu/genchem/topicre
view/bp/ch18/combine.php
[3] Jeffery, G. H., Bassett, J., Mendham, J., Denney,
R.C. Vogels Textbook of Quantitative Chemical
Analysis Fifth Ed. Longman Group. United
Kingdom. 1989.

APPENDIX
Calibration Curve
Solution
Standard 1
Standard 2
Standard 3
Standard 4
Standard 5

Absorbance
0.054
0.191
0.220
0.461
1.005

Equilibrium Constant Determination

Absorbance
Solution
[Fe3+]in
Unknown1
0.236
0.0006
Unknown2
0.308
0.0008
Unknown3
0.365
0.0010

[Fe3+]initial
0.00002
0.00005
0.00010
0.00020
0.00040

[SCN-]in
0.001
0.001
0.001

[SCN-]initial
0.02
0.02
0.02
0.02
0.02

[Fe3+]eq
0.000508
0.000672
0.000855

[SCN-]eq
0.000908
0.000878
0.000855

[Fe(SCN)]2+
0.00002
0.00005
0.00010
0.00020
0.00040

[Fe(SCN)]2+

0.0000922
0.000122
0.000145

Keq
199.88
206.77
198.35

Sample Calculations:
y = 2432.7x + 0.0116
x = y - 0.0116
2432.7
x = 0.236 - 0.0116
2432.7
x = 0.0000922
Fe3+(aq) +
I
C
E

[Fe3+]

initial

-x

[Fe3+]initial
-x

SCN-(aq) <=> [Fe(SCN)]2+(aq)

[SCN-]initial
0
-x
+x
[SCN-]initial-x
x

[Fe3+]: 0.0006 - 0.0000922 = 0.000508

[SCN-]: 0.001 - 0.0000922 = 0.000908
Keq = [Fe(SCN)2+]
[Fe3+][SCN-]

Keq

[0.000092]
199.88
[0.000508][0.000908]