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Lab 5: Acid-Base Titration: Determination of the Concentration of NaOH Solution

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October 15, 2019

Chem 111, Section XXX

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Lab Partner: [REDACTED}

Determination of the Concentration of NaOH Solution

FIRst name, last

Abstract

In this experiment, a titration process was used to determine the unknown concentration of sodium

hydroxide (NaOH) with the known molarity and concentration of oxalic acid (H 2C2O4). The mass of

oxalic acid was converted to moles and thus it was possible to derive the molarity of the oxalic acid

solution. The titration process in this experiment involved adding a small amount of color indicator to the

known concentration of an oxalic acid solution, and then slowly adding the sodium hydroxide with

unknown concentration until the solution reached its equivalency point (turned slightly pink). It was then

determined that the average molarity of the NaOH solution from two trials was 0.668M.

Introduction

The titration process is very useful in determining the unknown concentration of a solution. In this

experiment, titration was used to determine the concentration of a basic NaOH solution using an acidic

solution of H2C2O4 with known concentration. When the base is added to the acid, eventually the acid and

base will neutralize at the equivalence point, where the acid-base solution is neutral. 1 Therefore, the

theory behind titration is that when an indicator is added to the acid that turns pink when in contact with

the base, if/when the solution reaches the equivalence point, the indicator will make the combined acid-

base solution turn a light shade of pink.1 Knowing the amount of base that makes the acid neutralize will

then help to determine the molarity of the base.

Procedure

In order to obtain the accurate molarity for the NaOH solution, 2.24 g of oxalic acid was measured and

converted into 0.025 moles. The 2.24 g of oxalic acid was added to 100mL of distilled water, which

created an acidic solution with M = 0.25. Twenty mL of the 0.25M acidic solution was then transferred to

an Erlenmeyer flask, and then two drops of the indicator (something something) were put into the acidic

solution. Then, the Erlenmeyer flask containing the solution was put under a titration buret filled to the

zero mark of a basic NaOH solution with unknown concentration. The NaOH solution was slowly added
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to the H2C2O4 solution until the solution in the Erlenmeyer flask turned slightly pink, which indicated the

acid-base reaction had occurred and reached neutralization. This procedure was done twice, and produced

similar results, with trial 1 reaching equivalency after 15.40 mL of the base was added, and trial 2

reaching the titration point after 14.60 mL of the base was added.

Results

Part I. Oxalic Acid Solution Preparation

Mass of oxalic acid 2.24 grams

Moles of oxalic acid 0.025 moles

Molarity of oxalic acid solution 0.25 moles/liter

Part II. Titration

1. Trial I

Oxalic Acid Sodium Hydroxide

Initial burette reading N/A 0.00mL

Final burette reading N/A 15.40mL

mL of solution N/A 15.40mL

2. Trial II

Oxalic Acid Sodium Hydroxide

Initial burette reading N/A 27.50mL

Final burette reading N/A 42.10mL

mL of solution N/A 14.60mL

3. Moles of oxalic acid transferred to Erlenmeyer flask

Trial I 0.005 moles

Trial II 0.005 moles

4. Moles of sodium hydroxide calculated from moles of oxalic acid in Part II Step 3.

Trial I 0.01 moles

Trial II 0.01 moles

Sample calculation:

[(0.005 moles H 2 C 2O 4 )∗(2moles NaOH)]÷(1 mole H 2C 2O 4 )= 0.01 moles NaOH

Using the formula: 2NaOH(aq) + H2C2O4(aq)→ Na2C2O4(aq) + 2H2O(l)

5. Molarity of sodium hydroxide (NaOH) solution

Trial I 0.650 moles/liter

Trial II 0.685 moles/liter

Average 0.668 moles/liter

Sample calculation:

0.010 moles NaOH ÷ 0.0154 L NaOH =0.650 moles / Liter

Discussion

Because the molarities of the NaOH solution found in both trials were fairly similar, the error was

minimal. Although, there were many mistakes that could have taken place during this lab. One mistake

made could have been that more sodium hydroxide than needed was added past the endpoint. The

experiment is done in such a way that it is easy to accidentally add more NaOH solution than necessary,

which would distort the results of the molarity. During the experiment, it is possible that trial I was over

titrated, as more NaOH was added in order to turn the solution pink than in trial II. Also, there could have

been incorrect readings of the volumes of NaOH or H2C2O4, which would have resulted in incorrect
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calculations. Ideally, the experiment would be done entirely drop by drop so there is little to no room for

over titration.

Conclusion

The average molarity of a sodium hydroxide solution with unknown concentration was found to be 0.668

moles/liter through a titration process with a 0.25M oxalic acid solution.

References

1. Reger, D., Freeman, D., & Taylor-Perry, A., Chemistry 111L & 112L Laboratory Manual, Acid-

Base Titration: Determination of the Concentration of a NaOH Solution, (2018), QDE Press Inc,

Mongomery, Al, 35-38.