The Ka & Molar Mass of a Monoprotic

Weak Acid

ABSTRACT
The purpose of the lab was to find the K and molar mass of a weak acid. Ka was
calculated by using the formula: pH = log10 [H3O+]. Ka yielded the value of 4.1 x 10-5. The
molar mass of the unknown acid was calculated when the molarity of the titration base solution
was divided by the liters of solution required to reach the equivalence point. The molar mass of
unknown acid #49 was calculated to be 176 g/mol.
INTRODUCTION
The difference between a weak acid, and strong acids can be as much as 10 orders of
magnitude. Strong acids dissociate more completely than weak acids, meaning they produce
higher concentrations of the conjugate base, and hydronium cation in solution. Another way to
distinguish and acid is by its equivalent mass, because the equivalent mass of an acid or base
equals the mass of the acid or base titrated divided by the number of equivalents.
The Bronsted-Lowry Theory of acids and bases is acids produce hydrogen ions in a
solution, while bases produce hydroxide ions. Weak acids and bases do not dissolve as well as
strong acids and bases, so they produce less ions in water. All acids produce hydronium, H3O+,
to detect the, there are indicators such as phenolphthalein. The more accurate way to determine
pH is pH meters with electrodes. The voltage change comes from change in hydronium
concentration is proportional to the change in the logarithm of [H3O+]. (pH = log10 [H3O+])
To calculate [H3O+] from pH readings, use the inverse of the common logarithm function.
Ka is the acid ionization constant, or the equilibrium constant for the ionization of an
acid. At a given temperature, the strength of an acid is measured quantitatively by the magnitude
of Ka. The larger Ka, the stronger the acid and the greater the concentration of H+ ions at
equilibrium due to its ionization. Because strong acids dissociate completely, only weak acids
have Ka values (Chang, et al.). Ka is calculated by multiplying the concentration of the products
and then dividing by the concentration of the reactants, but when the concentration is unknown,
such as with the unknown acid sample, calculating Ka can be done in a simpler manner using the
Henderson-Hasselbalch Equation. The Henderson-Hasselbalch equation, as shown below in
equation (1) describes the derivation of pH as a measure of acidity (Chang, et al.):

pH = pKa+log ([conjugate base/[weak acid]) (1)

When the concentration of the conjugate base and weak acid are the same, the ratio is 1. The log
(1) is zero. Thus, at the halfway point:

pH = pKa (2)

The formula to determine Ka is as follows:

pKa = -logKa (3)

By taking the antilog of each side, Ka can be calculated by the following simplified equation:

Ka = 10-pKa (4)

In this lab, the pKa of an unknown acid is determined through titration with NaOH, and
graphing its pH versus volume delivered.

PROCEDURE
Calculate the mass of solid sodium hydroxide needed to prepare 0.5 L of 0.1 M NaOH
solution. Weigh out this mass of NaOH on a trip balance, and dissolve it with deionized water in
a 400-mL beaker. Perform the weighing quickly, because on exposure to the air, NaOH both
absorbs water and reacts with carbon dioxide. Pour the dissolved NaOH into a 500-mL
polyethylene bottle, and dilute with deionized water to the final volume. Cap the bottle to prevent
CO2 gas from entering your solution, and swirl it until the solution is well mixed. Calculate the
mass of high-purity primary standard potassium hydrogen phthalate (KHP) needed to neutralize
35 mL of 0.1 M NaOH. Weigh out this mass of KHP on the single-pan electronic balance, and
record the mass to the full available precision. Dissolve the KHP sample in an Erlenmeyer flask
with about 40 mL of deionized water. Add 2 drops of phenolphthalein indicator, and titrate with
your NaOH solution to a pale pink endpoint. Calculate the precise concentration of your NaOH
(approximately 0.1 M).
Repeat the titration with two more samples of the standard KHP. Use the average of the
three titrations as a best estimate of the NaOH concentration. The solution is now standardized
and should be kept sealed in its polyethylene bottle.
Obtain an unknown acid sample, and record its ID number in your notebook. Also check
out a 50-mL buret and magnetic stir bar. Assuming a molar mass of 100 g/mol, calculate the mass
of acid needed to neutralize a 40-mL sample of the standardized NaOH solution. Weigh out this
mass of acid on the single-pan electronic balance, and record the mass to the full available
precision. Transfer the acid to a clean 250-mL beaker. Consult with the instructor or the stockroom
technical staff. Some acid unknowns (with bulky organic groups) will dissolve better if you first
dissolve them in 10 mL of isopropyl alcohol (2-propanol) and then add in 90 mL of water. Others
can be dissolved directly in 100 mL of water.
Set up a buret for a pH meter titration as directed by the instructor. Keep the solution gently
stirred with the magnetic stirrer. Be sure that the pH electrode is sufficiently immersed in the
solution and that the stir bar doesnt knock into it. The electrodes are fragile and expensive.
Rinse and then fill the buret with your standardized base solution. Record the buret initial reading.
Also record the initial pH of your unknown acid solution. Add enough base solution from the buret
to produce a change of 0.2 units in the pH meter reading. Once it stabilizes, record the new pH
meter reading and the new buret reading, The volume of added base required for a 0.2 unit change
will vary during the titration. Monitor the pH meter carefully. Repeat the addition of base solution
until well past the equivalence point, recording buret readings and pH values. At the end of
titration, the pH values will change only slightly with the addition of 2 mL or more of the base
solution.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

In order to determine the actual molarity of the prepared NaOH solution, three titrations
using a known acid, KHP, were performed. By utilizing a known acid to standardize the alkaline
solution, and taking the average of the molarity calculated from each of the three trials, an actual
molarity of .1043 M NaOH solution was obtained. The known molarity solution of NaOH was
used in titration and yielded the following results:

Table A, NaOH Titration of KHP

Titration # 1 2 3

KHP 0.5059g 0.5038g 0.5028g

mL NaOH delivered 23.9mL 23.8mL 23.3mL

Calculated molarity 0.1036 0.1036 0.1057

Figure 1 shows the titration curve of the data collected during titration, with pH recorded as a
function of delivered NaOH solution. The trend indicates where the equivalence point lies,
within the points at which pH increased at a faster rate with less NaOH solution delivered.

Figure 2 shows the change in pH by total volume delivered at the time of pH. The plot indicates
by the maximum value recorded that the equivalence point was reached near 22.63mL of NaOH
solution delivered at a pH of 8.78.
Figure 3 shows the second derivative taken as the change in pH and volume divided by the
change in volume as a function of the total NaOH solution delivered. The plots in a line indicate
the approximate delivered volume at the equivalence point. Since no data was captured at the
true equivalence point, as seen by no plot point on the V axis, the equivalent point must be
derived from the closest plot points. These are 22.44mL at .699 and 22.74 at -0.875. The average
of these two points is 22.59mL NaOH solution delivered. Because no plot point was captured
during titration, this is the closest estimation that can be made for the equivalence point.
Compared to the value derived from Figure B, the mL delivered at the equivalence point indicate
a 0.04mL difference.

Viewing the titration curve (Figure 1), it can be deduced that the equivalence point is
approximately at a pH of 8.78, with 22.63mL of NaOH solution delivered. The halfway point to
equivalence is roughly 11.3mL delivered, at which point the pH of the acid-base solution was
4.39. At the halfway to equivalence point, pKa = pH, indicating that pKa of the reaction is 4.39.

With pKa determined, Ka is calculated using formula (4) to yield 4.1 x 10-5.

To find the molar mass of the unknown acid, the calculated molarity of the titration base solution
is divided by the liters of solution required to reach the equivalence point. The titrations with
KHP were performed in order to obtain the molarity of the NaOH solution. Without knowing
this, the moles of acid present would not be able to be determined.

0.1043 M NaOH x 0.02263L NaOH solution = 0.00236 moles of acid neutralized

After the moles of acid have been calculated, the mass of acid used in the experiment is divided
by the number of moles to yield the molar mass of the unknown acid.
0.4157g 0.00236mol = 176 g/mol
The molar mass of unknown acid #49 was calculated to be 176 g/mol.

CONCLUSION
The purpose of the experiment was to determine Ka and molar mass of an unknown
monoprotic acid by titrating with a known molarity NaOH solution and observing the pH change
throughout the titration. A difference of 0.04mL was present between Figures 2 and 3 in
determining the equivalence point. This does not indicate a significant difference, and
strengthens confidence in the equivalence point identified between the titration and derivative
plots.
When calculating the acid dissociation, Ka, a first and second derivative plot was made
for greater precision. When analyzing the titration curves, the halfway equivalence point was
determined by taking the equivalence point and dividing by 2. That lead to the finding the Ka
value of 4.1 x 10-5. The molar mass of the unknown acid was 176 g/mol. The expected range of
the molar mass was between 50 and 500 g/mol, and the calculated molar mass as a result of the
titration and equivalence point determination fell within this range.
Works Cited
Chang, R., & Goldsby, K. A. (2016). Chemistry / Raymond Chang and Kenneth A. Goldsby.
New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Education.