Experiment 8: Titration Curve

Ma. Elaine D. Cortes, Jessica Louise Sy

Group 8, Chem 18.1, MHIJ1, Ms. Arlou Angeles
October 8, 2012
I.

Abstract
Titration curve is the graph of the pH of the analyte vs. the volume of the titrant added during the titration. It
helps to determine the probable reaction for titration and helps to select a suitable indicator for it.
In this experiment, acid-base titration was performed. It is the process used to determine the unknown
concentration of an acid or base with the use of a base or an acid with known concentration. In this process, a
neutralization reaction takes place between the analyte (acid or base with known concentration) and the titrant
(base or acid with known concentration). The latter was done through adding the titrant delivered from a buret,
which was HCl for a basic unknown and NaOH for an acidic unknown. For the strong base-strong acid, strong
acid-weak base, and weak acid-strong base titrations, titration curves were obtained by getting the pH of the
analyte, through the use of pH meter, for every given volume of titrant.
II. Keywords: titration curve, acid-base titration, analyte, titrant, equivalence point, end point
III. Introduction

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IV. Experimental
V. Results

Figure 1. Plot of pH vs. volume of NaOH (set I)

Part A. Preparation of the Standard Titration

Curves
Set I. Titration of 15 mL 0.1 M HOAc with 0.1 M
NaOH
Table 1. Value of pH of HOAc relative to volume of NaOH added

Volume (mL) of
0.1 M NaOH added
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23

Chem 18.1 Titration Curve

pH
3.63
4.24
4.68
4.86
5.07
5.16
5.23
5.31
5.44
5.6
5.74
5.82
6.28
7.1
11.07
11.43
11.47
11.56
11.7
11.7
11.71
11.8
11.82
11.84

11.88
11.91
11.99

pH
14
12
10
pH

8
6
4
2
0
0

10

15

20

25

30

Set II. Titration of 15 mL 0.1 M HCl with 0.1 M

NaOH
Table 2. Value of pH of HCl relative to volume of NaOH added

Volume (mL) of
0.1 M NaOH added
0
1
2
3
4
5

pH
2.54
2.55
2.55
2.55
2.57
2.6

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2.58
2.62
2.76
2.85
2.93
2.97
2.85
2.98
3.1
3.22
3.37
4.16
10.8
11.1
11.23
11.31
11.5
11.54
11.66
11.72
11.82
11.87
11.82
11.84
11.87
11.91
12

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6
7
8
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9.09
8.6
7.15
4.02
3.5
3.39
3.26
3.19
3.12
3.05
2.91
2.95
2.84
2.82
2.78
2.77
2.73
2.61
2.61
2.63
2.63

Figure 3. Plot of pH vs. volume of HCl

pH
12
10

Figure 2. Plot of pH vs. volume of NaOH (set II)

pH

pH

14

12

10

pH

0
0

10

15

20

25

4
Part B. Analysis of the Unknown

2
0
0

10 15 20 25 30 35

Set III. Titration of 15 mL 0.1 M NH 4OH with 0.1 M

HCl
Table 3. Value of pH of NH4OH relative to volume of HCl added

Volume (mL) of
0.1 M HCl added
0
1
Chem 18.1 Titration Curve

pH
9.65
9.35

Table 4. Value of pH of solution relative to volume of titrant

added for the analysis of the unknown

Volume (mL) of 0.1 M

NaOH added
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7

pH
1.82
1.85
1.94
2.09
2.26
2.51
3.02
5.64
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the acid is being neutralized, and its conjugate base

is being transformed:
CH3COOH(aq) + OH-(aq)
CH3COO-(aq) + H2O(l)
Thus, the solution contains a mixture of acetic acid
and CH3COO-, a buffer mixture. The pH at the
equivalence point of a titration of a weak acid with a
strong base is always greater than 7. This is so
because the anion of the acid (CH3COO-), which
remains in solution at the equivalence point, is a
basic salt. The Na+ ion of the salt has no significant
effect on the pH. After the equivalence point, this
region of titration curve, [OH-] from the reaction of
CH3COO- with water is negligible compared to [OH -]
from the excess NaOH. Thus, the pH is determined
by the concentration of OH- from the excess NaOH.

6.27
6.62
6.9
7.17
7.53
8.25
10.42
11.06
11.3
11.48
11.59
11.67
11.74
11.91

Figure 4. Plot of pH vs. volume of titrant (Analysis of Unknown)

pH
14
12
10
pH

8
6
4
2
0
0

10

15

20

25

VI. Discussion
In this experiment, acid-base titration was
performed. The data we obtained enable us to
produce a titration curve. A titration curve is a visual
output which describes the changes in pH. It is
obtained by plotting, in this case, the pH against the
volume of the titrant used (Ilao and Engle, 2007).
In the first set, a weak acid was titrated with
a strong base. The initial pH was low. As the
titration reaches equivalence point, that is higher
than pH 7, there was an abrupt change in pH. This
change, however was not as drastic as the change
in pH in the strong acid-strong base titration (refer
on figure 2), as seen in the steepness of the curve.
Between the initial pH and the equivalence point,

Chem 18.1 Titration Curve

In the second set, a strong acid was titrated

by a strong base. Between the initial pH and the
equivalence point, the pH changes very gradually
until the titration is close to the equivalence point,
where a dramatic change occurs. This behavior is
due to the fact that early in the titration, there is a
relatively large amount of H+ in the solution, and the
addition of a given amount of OH_, thus produces a
small change in pH. However, near the equivalence
point, [H+] is relatively small, and the addition of a
small amount of OH_ produces a large change.
Moreover, the pH at the equivalence point is 7.0,
because the cation of NaOH and the anion of HCl
do not hydrolyze and therefore no appreciable
effect on pH. Also at this point, an equal number of
moles of the NaOH and HCl have reacted, leaving
only a solution of their salt, NaCl. After the
equivalence point, the pH is determined by the
concentration of the excess of NaOH in the
solution.
In the third set, a weak base was titrated
with a strong acid. The initial pH of the analyte was
high since the solution is a weak base. As it
reaches the equivalence point, drastic changes in
pH was observed. But like the first set, the change
was not as abrupt as second set, as shown by the
steepness. The equivalence point pH shows the
presence of acidic salt since it was less than 7. As
more titrant was added, changes in pH were not
anymore noteworthy. The curve ends at a low point
since the solution is now acidic and the pH is low.
For the titration of the unknown solution
with NaOH, the initial pH was low since the
unknown was acidic, as read by the pH meter.
Through the titration curve generated, we can
determine that the unknown was a polyprotic acid
since polyprotic acids have two equivalence points
which is seen in our graph. This is because a weak
acid contains more than one ionizable H atom. The
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reaction with OH- occurs in a series of step.

Neutralization of phosphorous acid, our unknown,
proceeds in two stages.
H3PO3(aq) + OH-(aq)
H2PO3-(aq) + H2O(l)
H2PO3 (aq) + OH (aq)
HPO32-(aq) + H2O(l)
When the neutralization steps of polyprotic
acid or even polyprotic base are sufficiently
separated, the substance exhibits a titration curve
with multiple equivalence points.
VII. Conclusion and Recommendations

Zumdahl, S.S. and Zumdahl, S.A. (2010).

Chemistry. 8th edition. USA: Brooks/Cole
CENGAGE learning.
<http://www.scribd.com/doc/90994735/51415795Formal-Lab-Report-Expt-8-Chem-18-1>Date
accessed: September 30, 2012
I hereby certify that I have given substantial
contribution to this report.

VIII. References
Engle, H.L. and L.V. Ilao. (2007). Learning Modules
in General Chemistry 2. Manila: University
of the Philippines.
Lemay, H., Brown, T., Burnsten, B. and Burdge, J.
(2004). Chemistry: The Central Science.
New Jersey: Pearson Education South Asia
Ptd. Ltd.

Chem 18.1 Titration Curve

__________________
Ma. Elaine D. Cortes

__________________
Jessica Louie Sy

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