CHEMISTRY THIRD LABORATORY REPORT

pH SCALE AND THE USE OF pH INDICATORS I

Written by:

Amelia Quinta Jasmine (CHE)

Syadza Luthfiyya (FT)

Date of Experiment: March 11th, 2016

Date of Submission: March 18th, 2016

Department of Chemical Engineering

Department of Food Technology
Faculty of Life Science
International University of Liaison Indonesia
1.1 Purpose

In this experiment, various of solutions such as NaOH, HNO 3, tap water and
deionized water were created in various concentration. Those concentrations
then were linked to pH value, and the usage of indicator papers (color) for pH
was involved to determine the nature of the acid or the base. The usage of
electronic portable pH meter for measuring the pH of the solutions was
involved as well.

1.2 Abstract

Identifying acid and base were given attention in the experiment. It was done
using a pH indicator papers and pH meter. The whole experiment dealt with
the acid and base solutions. Throughout the experiment, NaOH, HNO 3, tap
water and deionized water were tested for its pH value and the nature of acid
and base. The different solutions were placed in different beakers, and the pH
papers and pH meter were dipped in each beaker to test for its pH value.
Finally, after the experiment, it was known that NaOH and tap water are
categorized as the base and HNO3 and deionized water are categorized as the
acid.

1.3 Tools and Materials

• Beaker glass
• Volumetric flask
• Pipette
• Portable pH meter
• pH indicator papers
• NaOH
• HNO3
• Deionized water
• Tap water

1.4 Procedure

Before the experiment was started, the volume of NaOH and HNO 3 had to be
known first. It can be done by using this equation:
 M1V1 = M2V2
Description:
M= Molarity (mol/l)
V= Volume (l, which later then converted to mL)

Beside checking the pH of NaOH and HNO 3, the pH for deionized water and
tap water were checked as well, but the volume of those didn’t have to be
calculated to know the pH for them. Only the pH meter was used to the
deionized water and tap water.

A. Base

Firstly, the NaOH with pH ≅ 12 was diluted to 100 mL solution at pH ≅ 11.

To find [OH-] for pH ≅ 12, it can be done by this calculation:

pH + pOH = 14
12 + pOH = 14
pOH = 2
[OH ] = 10-2 mol/L
-

And to find its [OH-] for pH ≅ 11, it can be done by this calculation:

pH + pOH = 14
11 + pOH = 14
pOH = 3
[OH ] = 10-3 mol/L
-

For the dilution, it can be done by using the equation:

M1V1 = M2V2
10-2 M . V1 = 10-3M . 100 mL
V1 = 10 mL

Then, the solution of NaOH with pH ≅ 11 was diluted again to 100 mL

solution at pH ≅ 9. To find [OH-] for pH ≅ 11, it can be done by this
calculation:

pH + pOH = 14
11 + pOH = 14
pOH = 3
[OH ] = 10-3 mol/L
-
 And to find its [OH-] for pH ≅ 9, it can be done by this calculation:

pH + pOH = 14
9 + pOH = 14
pOH = 5
[OH ] = 10-5 mol/L
-

For the dilution, it can be done by using the equation:

M1V1 = M2V2
10 MV1 = 10-5M . 100 mL
-3

V1 = 1 mL

After the volume was calculated, 10 mL NaOH was put into volumetric flask
using pipette. The deionized water was added to the volumetric flask until it
reached 100 mL mark. After that, the solution of NaOH was put into a beaker
glass and the solution was tested with pH paper and subsequently was tested
with pH meter. The whole procedure was repeated for 1 mL NaOH and pure
NaOH.

B. Acid

Firstly, the HNO3 with pH ≅ 2 was diluted to 100 mL solution at pH ≅ 3. To

find its [H+] for pH ≅ 2, it can be done by this calculation:

-log[H+] = 2
log[H+] = -2
log[H+] = log10-2
[H+] = 10-2 mol/L

And to find its [H+] for pH ≅ 3, it can be done by this calculation:

-log[H+] = 3
log[H+] = -3
log[H+] = log10-3
[H+] = 10-3 mol/L

For the dilution, it can be done by using the equation:

M1V1 = M2V2
10 M . V1 = 10-3M . 100 mL
-2

V1 = 10 mL

Then, the solution of HNO3 with pH = 3 was diluted again to 100 mL solution
at pH = 5. To find its [H+] for pH ≅ 3, it can be done by this calculation:
 -log[H+] = 3
log[H+] = -3
log[H+] = log10-3
[H+] = 10-3 mol/L

And to find its [H+] for pH ≅ 5, it can be done by this calculation:

-log[H+] = 5
log[H+] = -5
log[H+] = log10-5
[H+] = 10-5 mol/L

For the dilution, it can be done by using the equation:

M1V1 = M2V2
10-3 MV1 = 10-5M . 100 mL
V1 = 1 mL

After the volume was calculated, 10 mL HNO 3 was put to volumetric flask
using pipette. The deionized water was added to the volumetric flask until it
reached 100 mL mark. After that, the solution of HNO3 was put into a beaker
glass and the solution was tested with pH paper and subsequently was tested
with pH meter. The whole procedure was repeated for 1 mL HNO 3 and pure
HNO3.

1.5 Results and Discussion

2.1 Results

A. Base
Medium NaOH (10 mL) NaOH (1 mL) Pure NaOH
PH paper 9 6 12
PH meter 11.1 9.4 11.9

B. Acid
Medium HNO3 (10 mL) HNO3 (1 mL) Pure HNO3
PH paper 2 4 1
PH meter 2.1 3.0 1.6

C. Tap water: 7.2

D. Deionized water: 6.5

2.2 Analysis of Data

An aqueous solution of an acid has a pH of less than 7 and is colloquially also
referred to as 'acid' (as in 'dissolved in acid'). An acid usually contains a
hydrogen atom bonded to a chemical structure that is still energetically
favorable after loss of H+ (a positive hydrogen ion or proton). A lower pH
means a higher acidity, and thus a higher concentration of positive hydrogen
ions in the solution. While bases describe solutions with a pH greater than
seven, and there is a range of how basic a solution can be. A base is the
opposite of an acid. The 'H' in 'pH' stands for hydrogen. Based on that pure
data, it can be classified that:

A. Base
a) Pure NaOH is considered as the strongest base because it has the pH of
12 based on pH paper and 11.9 on pH meter.
b) NaOH (10 mL) is considered as the second strongest base because it
has the pH of 9 based on pH paper and 11.1 on pH meter, which is
lower than pure NaOH.
c) NaOH (1 mL) is considered as the third strongest base because it has
the pH of 6 based on pH paper and 9.4 on pH meter, which is lower
than pure NaOH and NaOH (10 mL).
d) Tap water is considered as the least strong base because it the pH of
7.2 based on pH meter, which is the lowest compared to pure NaOH,
NaOH (10 mL) and NaOH (1 mL).

B. Acid
a) Pure HNO3 is considered as the strongest acid because it has the pH of
1 based on pH paper and 1.6 on pH meter.
b) HNO3 (10 mL) is considered as the second strongest acid because it
has the pH of 2 based on pH paper and 2.1 on pH meter, which is
lower than pure HNO3.
c) HNO3 (1 mL) is considered as the third strongest acid because it has
the pH of 4 based on pH paper and 3.0 on pH meter, which is lower
than pure HNO3 and HNO3 (10 mL).
 d) Deionized water is considered as the least strong acid because it the pH
of 6.5 based on pH meter, which is the lowest compared to pure HNO 3,
HNO3 (10 mL) and HNO3 (1 mL).

Based on the theory, it can be safely assumed that the stronger of base, the
higher pH number scale and the weaker of base, the lower pH number scale.
Different with acid, it’s the total opposite. The stronger of acid, the lower pH
number scale and the weaker of acid, the higher pH number scale. But in our
experiment, there was a mistake due to human error. In our data, NaOH (1
mL) is theoretically considered as weak acid because it has the pH of 6, which
is lower than 7. It was supposed to be greater than 7 because whatever the
volume is, NaOH, known fact, is a base. So the data doesn’t fit with the theory
that we expected before.

2.3 Discussion

There were 8 solutions (divided into 2 groups: acid and base) were tested in
the experiments. The first one was NaOH and tap water, which are classified
into base in the experiment. NaOH is an alkali, so it dissociates completely in
water to give Na+ and OH-, it is the OH- that "accepts protons" and makes it
basic via the reaction H2O → H+ + OH-. It is considered a strong base because
all of the available "[OH]" in the NaOH is present in solution as [OH -] and
available to accept protons.

The second one was HNO3 and deionized water, which are classified into acid
in the experiment. It is considered as a strong acid because it very nearly
completely dissociates. It breaks apart into NO3−1 and H+ ions in solution.

1.6 Conclusion

With these experiments, we could see there were acid substances and basic
substances involved. The acid-basic degree is expressed in pH. To measure the
acid-basic degree of a substance, we can use pH papers and pH meters. The
substance is called basic when the pH number scale is from 7 until 14, and for
acid, the substance is called acidic when the pH number scale is from 0 until 7.
 We can conclude based on the theory that the stronger of base, the higher pH
number scale and the weaker of base, the lower pH number scale. Different
with acid, the stronger of acid, the lower pH number scale and the weaker of
acid, the higher pH number scale.

1.7 Reference

S. Zumdahl and Susan A. Zumdahl, Chemistry, 9th edition

Laboratory module (Nugraha, Tutun)
Laboratory journals (Jasmine, and Luthfiyya)

1.8 Attachments