Acid Rain

Titration
(SACE)
Intro

In this titration, you will be finding the concentration of acid in a prepared acid rain sample. To
minimise complications, assume that all the acid in the water is nitric acid (HNO 3).

Materials

● A retort stand and clamp. ● A 20ml pipette

● A burette ● Base: 0.1M NaOH
● A 250/200 mL conical flask ● Acid: Prepared Acid Rain Sample.
● A funnel ● Phenolphthalein indicator
● A white piece of paper

Method

1. Obtain a burette and rinse with 10ml 0.1M NaOH(aq).

2. Obtain a stand, clamp and flask and set up as demonstrated. Make sure there is about 5cm
between the burette and the flask.

3. Making sure stopcock of the burette is shut, fill the burette with 0.1M NaOH(aq) until the reading
is between 0 and 1ml. Record this value as your initial value.

4. Clean the 20ml pipette with a 5ml of acid rain.

5. Transfer 20ml acid rain to 250/200 mL conical flask.

6. Add 5 drops phenolphthalein.

7. Begin titration by opening stopcock to add 0.1M NaOH(aq) to the flask. Be sure to swirl the flask
constantly to mix solutions.

8. When starts to go pink, stop adding 0.1M NaOH(aq) and swirl before continuing. Start adding more
base carefully.

9. When pink does not disappear, you have reached the equivalence point.

10. Take a reading of the burette. Record this value as your final value.

11. Now that you know the approximate volume, repeat steps 3-10 at least twice, with a higher level of
accuracy.

12. Rinse all glassware with distilled water and return to the front of the lab.
Results (IAE2)

Rough Titre Titre 1 Titre 2

Initial Volume 0 0.1 0.2
(mL) Mean Titre
(mL)
Final Volume 24.2 24.5 24.5
(mL)
Titre Volume 24.2 24.4 24.3 24.3
(mL)

(IAE2)

Calculations (KA4)

1. Give a balanced reaction for sodium hydroxide and nitric acid.

NaOH + HNO3  H20 + NaNO3

(KA4)
2. Calculate the number of moles of sodium hydroxide used.

N (number of moles) = c (concentration) x V (volume)

n(NaOH) = 0.1 x 0.0243
n(NaOH) = 0.00243 moles

(IAE3)

3. Calculate the number of moles of nitric acid used.

NaOH : HNO3 is 1:1

∴ n(HNO3) = n(NaOH)
n(HNO3) = 0.00243 moles
 (IAE3)

4. Calculate the concentration of nitric acid in the rainwater sample.

c (concentration) = n (number of moles) / V (volume)

c(HNO3) = 0.00243 / 0.02
c(HNO3) = 0.1215 mol/L

(IAE3)

Conclusion (IAE 4)

1. Justify the rinsing procedure you have used for each of the following items of glassware:

a. Pipette:
The pipette was first rinsed with distilled water. This was done to reduce the amount of
grease and other contaminating materials. Also, the pipette was lastly rinsed with the
solution that would be placed within it which was nitric acid. This prevents the solution from
diluting. If the solution becomes diluted, the accuracy of the results would be impacted as it
would interfere with the chemical reaction.

b. Burette:
The burette was also first rinsed with distilled water in order to reduce the amount of
contaminating materials present within it. Additionally, the burette was also rinsed with
sodium hydroxide which was the solution that was placed within it. This prevents the solution
from becoming dilated and as a result improves the accuracy and precision of the results.

2. Identify one random error and explain how the impact of this error could be minimised:

Random errors are errors that lead to inaccurate readings of true values. One such error that
occurred in this practical was imperfect reading of the values of the volumes. As perfectly reading
the volume with the human eye is impossible, it can be assumed that this incorrect measuring of the
volume would’ve impacted the results. However, the impact of this random error can be minimised
through reading the values at eye-level as that would improve the accuracy of the readings.
 3. Identify a possible source of a systematic error and explain the impact that this error would
have on your results:

A possible source of systematic error that is present in this titration practical is the endpoint
determination. As the colour change is required to be seen by the eye, the visual endpoint is always
delayed beyond the actual equivalence point. This is a systematic error as it is consistent
throughout the whole practical. As a result, the exact calculations of the concentration would not be
entirely accurate.

Discussion Questions (IAE3 & KA4)

1. Describe why normal rain is acidic and describe what is meant by the term acid rain.

Normal rain contains dissolved carbonic acid which is the main reason for why normal rain is slightly
acidic. The impurities that the rain collects, as it falls down from the atmosphere, allows the pH of water
to change from between 5 and 7. Also, it is known that rainwater can combine with other substances
such as soil, which then as result increases the alkalinity of its pH. The term acid rain describes rain
that contains acidic components, such as sulfuric and nitric acid.

2. Describe why some rain is becoming increasingly acidic.

Recently, rain is becoming increasingly acidic due to the recent increase in the usage of fossil fuels.
Power stations that burn coal and oil are known to produce sulphuric acid (H2SO4). Also, exhausts from
automobiles mainly produce nitric acid. As the population is increasing, the demand for fossil fuels and
automobiles is also increasing. Due to this, acidic rain is projected to keep increasing.

3. Give the balanced equations for the formation of carbonic, sulfurous and nitric acids in acid
rain.

Formation of Carbonic Acid: 

CO2(aq)+ H2O(1)→ H2CO3(aq)
 
Formation of Sulphuric Acid 
SO2(aq)+H2O(1)→ H2CO3(aq)
 
Formation of Nitric Acid 
NO2(aq)+H2O(1)→ HNO3(aq)

4. Calculate the mass of sodium nitrate formed in the titration.

Mass of Sodium = 22.99 g/mol

Mass of Nitrogen = 14.01 g/mol

Mass of oxygen = (16.00) g/mol x 3

Molar mass of nitric acid = 22.99 g/mol + 14.01 g/mol + (16.00 g/mol) 3 = 85

Therefore, the molar mass of nitric acid is 85.00 g/mol.