JOHOR MATRICULATION

COLLEGE CHEMISTRY UNIT

PRACTICAL REPORT
CODE AND NAME OF COURSE SK015 – CHEMISTRY 1
SEMESTER 1
CLO 2: Demonstrate the correct techniques in handling laboratory
apparatus and chemicals when carrying out experiments.
COURSE LEARNING
(P3, PLO 2, MQF LOD 2)
OUTCOMES CLO 3: Solve chemistry related problems by applying basic
concepts and principles in physical chemistry.
(C4, PLO 4, CTPS 3, MQF LOD 6)

LEARNING OUTCOMES

STUDENT’S NAME

MATRIC NO.

DATE OF EXPERIMENT

LECTURER’S NAME

SESSION 2021/ 2022

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LAB REPORT: EXPERIMENT 6 pH MEASUREMENT AND ITS APPLICATIONS
Title EXPERIMENT 6 pH MEASUREMENT AND ITS APPLICATIONS

Objective
1. use various methods to measure the pH of acids, bases and salts

2. determine the dissociation constant, Ka, of acetic acid.

Introduction pH is a measure of acidity or basicity of a solution. pH is defined as the negative

logarithm of hydrogen ion concentration, [H+].
pH = -log [H+] ....................(1)
The pH scale ranges from 0 to 14. At 25°C, a neutral solution has a pH of 7. An
acidic solution has a pH of less than 7 while a basic solution has a pH greater than
7.
There are two methods to determine pH in the laboratory. The first method
involves the use of indicators such as pH paper and the universal indicator. The
second method is using the pH meter.
Acids or bases which ionise completely are called strong acids or strong bases. An
example of a strong acid is HCl and a strong base is NaOH. Weak acids and weak
bases do not ionise completely. An example of a weak acid is acetic acid,
CH3COOH, and that of a weak base is ammonia, NH3.
Consider the ionisation of a weak acid, HA.
HA(aq) ⇌ H+(aq) + A- (aq) ....................(2)

The equilibrium constant expression for the above reaction is written as:
Ka = ¿ ¿ …..................(3)
where [H+], [A-] and [HA] represent the molar concentrations of species that exist
at
equilibrium. Ka is the dissociation constant for acid HA. A similar expression of K b
can be written for weak bases.
One of the methods to determine Ka is by adding a weak acid solution to its
conjugated base solution. The product of this process is an acidic buffer solution.
The conjugated base is obtained from the salt produced using the titration method.

Procedure (A) Determination of pH of acidic and basic solutions

1. (a) Place 2 mL of the following solutions into separate test tubes.
i. 0.01 M HCl
ii. 1.0 M HCl
iii. 0.1 M CH3COOH
iv. 1.0 M CH3COOH
v. 0.1 M NaOH
vi. 0.1 M NH3
 Use pH paper to determine the pH of the solutions.

(b) Use a pH meter to determine the pH of the following solutions:

i. 0.01 M HCl
ii. 1.0 M HCl
iii. 0.1 M CH3COOH
iv. 1.0 M CH3COOH
2. Fill the test tubes with 2 mL of each of the following solution:
i. 0.01 M HCl
ii. 0.1 M CH3COOH
iii. 0.1 M NH3
Add two drops of methyl red to each test tube. Record the observation.
Determine the pH range by comparing the colour of the solutions with the
chart provided.
Repeat step 2 with methyl orange.
3. Fill the test tubes with 2 mL of each of the following solution:
i. 0.1 M NaOH
ii. 1.0 M NaOH
iii. 0.1 M NH3
iv. 1.0 M NH3
Add two drops of alizarin yellow to each test tube. Record the observation.
Determine the pH range by comparing the colour of the solutions with the
chart provided.

(B) Determination of pH of salt solutions

1. Fill the test tube with 2 mL of each of the following solution:
i. 0.1 M NaCl
ii. 0.1 M CH3COONa
iii. 0.1 M NH4NO3
Using pH paper and universal indicator, determine the pH and state whether the
salt solutions are acidic, basic or neutral.

(C) Determination of the dissociation constant of a weak acid, K a

1. Pipette 25 mL of 0.1 M CH3COOH into two conical flasks, X and Y.
2. Add 2 - 3 drops of phenolphthalein into the conical flask X, and titrate it with 0.2
M NaOH. When the volume of base reaches 10 mL, add the titrant drop by
drop. The end point is reached when the solution becomes pink. Record the
initial and the final readings of the burette.
3. Mix the solution in step 2 with 25 mL of 0.1 M CH3COOH in the conical flask
Y. Determine the pH of this mixture using a pH meter.
4. Calculate Ka from the value of pH obtained in step 3.

Results (A) Determination of pH of acidic and basic solutions

(*Data in table Solution Concentration
Indicator
base on practical (M)
video results*) pH pH Methyl Alizarin Methyl
paper meter red yellow orange
HCl 0.01 1 2.81 1-5 1-3
1.0 1 1.25
CH3COOH 0.1 3 2.98 1-5 1-3
1.0 3 2.79
NaOH 0.1 13 11-12
1.0 12-14
NH3 0.1 9 9-12 9-11 9-11
1.0 10-11
 (B) Determination of pH of salt solutions
Salt solution pH paper Universal Acidity
indicator
0.1M NaCl 6 8 Neutral
0.1M CH3COONa 7 9 Base
0.1M NH4NO3 5 7 Acid

(C) Determination of the dissociation constant of a weak acid, K a

Final burette reading/ mL 12.30
Initial burette reading/ mL 0.00
Volume of NaOH used/ mL 12.30
pH of mixture (buffer solution) obtained = 4.70

Discussion pH can be measured using pH meter, pH paper and indicators.

NaCl is neutral solution because Na+ and Cl- do not undergoes hydrolysis.
CH3COONa is basic solution because CH3COO- undergoes hydrolysis to form OH-.
NH4NO3 is acidic solution because NH4+ hydrolyses to form H3O+.
The dissociation constant of a weak acid, Ka is base on the calculation below.
Calculation Part (C) Determination of the dissociation constant of a weak acid, K a
pH of buffer solution = 4.70
From steps (1) and (2), 25 mL of 0.1 M CH 3COOH used to react with 12.30mL of
0.2M NaOH
CH3COOH (aq) + NaOH (aq) → CH3COONa (aq) + H2O (l)
MV
Base on equation above, n CH3COOH = n CH3COONa =
1000
0.1 x 25
=
1000
= 2.5 x 10 -3
After the reaction of CH3COOH with NaOH (steps 1 and 2), 25mL of CH 3COOH is
mix with the solution formed (step 3) to form acidic buffer solution which contains
weak acid(CH3COOH) and its salts (CH3COONa) with pH=4.70
The total volume of solution = 25mL (Step1) + 12.30 mL (Step2) + 25mL (Step3)
= 62.30 mL
= 0.0623L
mol of C H 3 COOH
In buffer solution, [CH3COOH] =
total volume of solution
2.5 x 10−3 mol
=
0.0623 L
= 0.0401 M

mol of C H 3 COONa
In buffer solution, [CH3COONa] =
total volume of solution
2.5 x 10−3 mol
=
0.0623 L
= 0.0401 M
By using Henderson-Hasselbalch equation,
[salt ]
pH = pKa + log
[acid]
0.0401
4.70 = pKa + log
0.0401
 Ka = antilog -4.70
= 1.995 x 10-5

1. pH of acids, bases and salts can be measured using pH meter, pH paper and
Conclusion indicators.

2. The dissociation constant of a weak acid, Ka is 1.995 x 10-5

Exercise 1. Base on the pH value of acetic acid by using pH meter in Part (A), calculate the
percentage of ionisation of 0.1 M and 1.0 M acetic acid. How does the percentage
of ionisation change with its concentration?
ANSWER:
For 0.1M CH3COOH For 1.0M CH3COOH
pH = 2.98 pH = 2.79
pH = -log [H+] pH = -log [H+]
+
2.98 = -log [H ] 2.79 = -log [H+]
+
[H ] = antilog -2.98 [H+] = antilog -2.79
-3
= 1.0471 x 10 = 1.6218 x 10-3
CH3COOH ⇌CH3COO- + H+ CH3COOH ⇌CH3COO- + H+
[ ]i/M 0.1 0 0 [ ]i/M 1.0 0 0
[ ]Δ/M -x +x +x [ ]Δ/M -x +x +x
[ ]eq/M 0.1-x x x [ ]eq/M 1.0-x x x

x = [H+] = 1.0471 x 10-3 x = [H+] = 1.6218 x 10-3

Percentage of ionisation, α Percentage of ionisation, α
change∈[reactant ], x change∈[reactant ], x
= x 100% = x 100%
initial [reactant ] initial [reactant ]
1.0471 x 1 0−3 1.6218 x 10−3
= x 100% = x 100%
0.1 1.0
= 1.0471% = 0.1628%

For 0.1M CH3COOH, percentage ionisation is 1.0471%

For 1.0M CH3COOH, percentage ionisation is 0.1628%
So, percentage of ionisation of CH3COOH increases (@decrease) as the
concentration decreases (@increase)

2. Refer to the pH value of acetic acid by using pH meter in Part (A). Calculate its
Ka and compare this value to that obtained from Part (C).
ANSWER:
For 0.1M CH3COOH For 1.0M CH3COOH
pH = 2.98 pH = 2.79
pH = -log [H+] pH = -log [H+]
+
2.98 = -log [H ] 2.79 = -log [H+]
+
[H ] = antilog -2.98 [H+] = antilog -2.79
-3
= 1.0471 x 10 = 1.6218 x 10-3
CH3COOH ⇌CH3COO- + H+ CH3COOH ⇌CH3COO- + H+
[ ]i/M 0.1 0 0 [ ]i/M 1.0 0 0
[ ]Δ/M -x +x +x [ ]Δ/M -x +x +x
[ ]eq/M 0.1-x x x [ ]eq/M 1.0-x x x
x = [H+] = 1.0471 x 10-3 x = [H+] = 1.6218 x 10-3

Ka = ¿ ¿ Ka = ¿ ¿
 = ( 1.6218 x 10−3 ] [1.6218 x 10−3 ]
( 1.0471 x 10 ] [1.0471 x 10 ]
−3 −3 =
(1.0−1.6218 x 10−3 )
−3
(0.1−1.0471 x 10 ) = 2.6345 x 10-6
-5
= 1.1079 x 10
Ka value obtained from Part (A) and Part (C) should be almost the same
because the only factor that affect K a is temperature