TO: Ms. L.

McGaw, Chemistry instructor

FROM: Coltan Bliss, Student (Lab Partner: Joshua Haley)
DATE: 21 March 2017
SUBJECT: Lab 9: Hydrolysis and pH

PURPOSE: The purpose of this experiment is to see the relationship between hydronium
concentration and pH and equilibrium concentration.

SUMMARY: This lab used HCl and NaOH as control groups. Three different salts were placed
in a spot plate and tested using five indicators.

PROCEDURE: Two spot plates, methyl orange, bromocresol purple, phenol red,
phenolphthalein, alizarin yellow, 0.1 M HCl, 0.1 M NaOH, 0.1 M NH4Cl, 0.1 M Na2CO3, and 0.1
M KSCN were used for this experiment.
First, water was boiled to use for cleaning the spot plated in-between experiments. Next, a few
drops of 0.1 M HCl and 0.1 M NaOH were added to five of the openings each and recorded
where which was. Then, the methyl orange, bromocresol purple, phenol red, phenolphthalein,
and alizarin yellow were added to one spot of both the acid and the base. These were used as the
control group throughout the experiment. After observations were recorded, the ammonium
chloride, sodium carbonate, and potassium thiocyanate were added to five spots on the plate each
and tested with the indicators as previously tested. The observations were recorded and used to
answer the analysis questions in the lab.

RESULTS: The data recorded throughout this experiment is shown in the table below.
Test Methyl Bromocresol Pheno Phenolphthalei Alizari pH [H+] [OH-
Solution Orang Purple l Red n n ]
s e Yellow
HCl Red Yellow Orang Clear Yellow
(acid) e
NaOH Orange Purple Pink Pink Orange
(base)
NH4Cl Orange Yellow Yellow Clear Yellow 3.7 2.e-4 5.e-11
Na2CO3 Orange Purple Pink Pink Orange 11.0 1.e- 1.e-3
11

KSCN Orange Yellow Yellow Clear Yellow 3.7 2.e-4 5.e-11

From this data the ions expected to hydrolyze were determined for each of the salts and are
shown in the following table.
Solution Molecular Formula Spectator Ion Ion Expected to
Hydrolyze
Ammonium NH4Cl Cl- NH4+
Chloride
Sodium Carbonate Na2CO3 2Na+ CO32-
Potassium KSCN K+ SCN-
Thiocyanate

From this information, the chemical equations and equilibrium expressions were written and
used to find the Ka and Kb values for the hydrolysis of the salts. The Ka for ammonium chloride
was calculated to be 4.01X10-7, and the Kb values for sodium carbonate and potassium
thiocyanate were calculated to be 1.01X10-5 and 2.5X10-20, respectively. It was determined that if
a salt is of a strong acid and strong base, the pH will be equal to seven, (neutral). If the salt is of a
strong acid and a weak base, the pH will be less than seven, (acidic). If the salt us of a weak acid
and a strong base, the pH will be greater than seven, (basic). And if the salt is of a weak base and
a weak acid, then the relative strength of the conjugated acid-base pair in the salt determines the
solution pH.

COMMENTARY: This experiment had some differing results throughout the class. The
potassium thiocyanate was told to be more basic, but the tested results yielded a pH of roughly
3.7. Concentrations could have had an effect on some of the results or improper cleaning of the
spot plate. To yield better results, one may use new spot plates and perfectly concentrated
solutions.
ATTACHMENTS: Attached to this lab report are worked out analysis questions and
calculations.