Principles of Physical Chemistry: Universiti Teknologi Mara Cawangan Perak
Principles of Physical Chemistry: Universiti Teknologi Mara Cawangan Perak
PERAK
KAMPUS TAPAH
Faculty of Applied Sciences
Diploma in Science
CHM 271
PRINCIPLES OF PHYSICAL
CHEMISTRY
LABORATORY REPORT
CLASS : A4AS1202_7
INTRODUCTION
Many common substances are either acids or bases. Some acids, like stomach acid is
necessary for our health, while others, like sulphuric acid is dangerous and can cause burns
and other injuries. Baking soda is a common weak base used in our homes, while a strong base
like sodium hydroxide is hazardous to skin and eyes.
The easiest way to determine whether a substance is an acidic or base is using an indicator, an
organic molecule that changes color when the dipped in an acid or a base. When an indicator is
placed on paper, it provides a fast way to determine if a substance has acidic or basic
properties. The most common acid/base indicator paper is called a litmus paper, so a litmus test
is the first test used to determine acidic or basic properties. But in the experiment that we had
done, we used pH meter, an electric device used to measure hydrogen-ion activity (acidity or
alkalinity) in solution. Fundamentally, a pH meter consists of a voltmeter attached to a pH-
responsive electrode and a reference (unvarying) electrode. The pH-responsive electrode is
usually glass, and the reference is usually a mercury-mercurous chloride (calomel) electrode,
although a silver-silver chloride electrode is sometimes used. When the two electrodes are
immersed in a solution, they act a battery. The glass electrode develops an electric potential
(charge) that is directly related to the hydrogen-ion activity in the solution (59.2 millivolts per pH
unit at 25 ֯C [77 ֯F]), and the voltmeter measures the potential difference between the glass and
reference electrodes. The pH of the solution can be determined with this apparatus. The
strength of an acid or base is measured in pH, which is the concentration of the hydrogen ion
(H+). A high pH indicates a strong base, while a low pH indicates a strong acid. A pH of 7
indicates a neutral substance (like water).
The pH scale is used to measure the acidity and basicity of solution.
pH = -log10 [H+]
In order to determine the pH of the solution, a universal indicator could be used in which the
solution containing the indicator would give a colored solution that depends on the concentration
of H+ ion present in the solution. Th pH of the solution could then be determined by comparing
the color of the solution and the pH chart.
APPARATUS
Test tubes
Measuring cylinders of 10 mL and 100 mL
pH meter
CHEMICALS
0.1 M NaOH
0.05 M Na2 CO3
0.1 M HCl
0.1 M NH4 Cl
0.1 M NH4 OH
0.1 M AlCl3
0.1 M HNO3
0.1 M CH3 COOH
0.1 M NaCl
0.1 M CH3 COONa
Universal indicator
PROCEDURE
Part I : pH determination of solution
1. 5 mL each of the solution is measured and placed each of them in a test tube. 2 drops of
the universal indicator is added to each solution and shake well. The solution is
dippedwith a pH meter.
a) Distilled water
b) Tap water
c) 0.1 M NaOH
d) 0.05 M Na2 CO3
e) 0.1 M HCl
f) 0.1 M NH4 Cl
g) 0.1 M NH4 OH
h) 0.1 M AlCl3
i) 0.1 M HNO3
j) 0.1 M CH3 COOH
k) 0.1 M NaCl
l) 0.1 M CH3 COONa
2. The pH of each solution is determined by comparing their colours with the pH colour
chart given by the label on the bottle. As for the pH meter, it is calibrated and the reading
is recorded.
3. The observation of the colour is recorded
Part II : pH determination of Buffer Solutions
1. 25 mL is added of 0.1 M ethanoic acid, CH3 COOH 0.1 M solution of sodium acetate,
CH3 COONa is added in a beaker. Then three drops of universal indicator is added and
the beaker is shaken. The solution is dipped with a pH meter. The colour of the solution
and the pH of this buffer solution is recorded.
2. The buffer solution is divided into two equal portion :
1. State whether the following solutions is acidic, basic or neutral and explain your answer
a) 0.5 M Na2 CO3
= basic because the pH is more than 7
b) 0.1 M CH3 COONa
= basic because the pH is more than 7
c) 0.1 M AlCl3
= acidic because the pH is less than 7
2. Explain your observation in procedure (part II) in terms of the effect of addition of a
strong acid and a strong base to the buffer solution.
= When strong acid is added to the buffer solution, the orange colour of the solution
change into pinkish colour to indicate the the solution turns more acidic.
When strong base is added to the buffer solution, the orange colour of the solution
change into faded yellowish to indicate the solution turns less acidic.
DISCUSSION
In this experiment there is two part which is in the first part we must determine the pH of the
solution based on the changes in colour when we added a few drop of universal indicator and
by using the pH meter. In the second part we determine the changes in the pH of the buffer
solution when strong acid and strong base is added to the solution by using the universal
indicator and pH meter.
During the second part of the experiment we use an acidic buffer solution which was a mixture
of ethanoic acid and sodium acetate. Ethanoic acid is a weak acid so according to the Le
Chatelier's principle the position of the equilibrium will shift to the left.
When adding an acid to this buffer solution the buffer solution will remove new hydrogen ion
otherwise the pH will drop markedly. The hydrogen ion will combined with the ethanoic ion to
make ethanoic acid. Since ethanoic acid is a weak acid and most of the hydrogen is removed
the pH won't change very much and it will fall a little bit.
When adding base to this solution there will be two process which can remove the hydroxide
ions since this situation is a bit complicated.
The first one was reacting with ethanoic acid which hydroxide ion is going to collide with an
ethanoic molecules and react to form ethanoate ions and water
For conclusion in this experiment, we can determined the pH of solutions using universal
indicator and pH meter.