ACID-BASE REACTION

An Acid reacts with a base to form salt and water only. This reaction is a neutralization reaction.
TITRATION is the estimation of the volume of an acid, that will neutralize a given volume of a base.

An End Point is the point of neutrality. It is the point at which an acid completely, neutralized the base.

A Standard Solution is a solution whose concentration is known. This is a solution of known

concentration. A Buffer Solution is a solution whose pH value does not alter or change for small
additions of acid or alkali.

Apparatus Used in Titration

The following apparatus are used during the titration experiment in the laboratory:

Burette: The burette contains the acid and it is used to measure the volume of acid that will neutralize a
given volume of base.

Pipette: It is used to measure the volume of base.

Conical flask: It contains the base. A measured volume of base is poured into it during titration.

Indicators: Indicators are used to know whether a given solution is acidic or basic. They are substances
that show one colour in an acid and another colour in a base.

Indicators Colour in acid Colour in base An end point

1. Litmus paper Red Blue Purple

2. Methyl orange Pink Yellow Orange

3. Phenolphthalein Colourless Pink Colourles

Choices Acid Base Titration indicators

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2
Fig 4.1

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Reagents: Some of the reagents used during acid/base titration are acids, bases and salts. Some common
acids used are

HCl-------------Hydrochloric acid

H2S04-----------Tetraoxosulphate(vi)acid

Some common bases used are:

NaOH--------------Sodium hydroxide

KOH----------------Potassium hydroxide Ca(OH)2 Calcium hydroxide

kSome common salts used are:

Na2CO3------------Sodium trioxocarbonate (iv)

NaHCO3-----------Sodium hydrogen trioxocarbonate(iv)

K2CO3--------------Potassium trioxocarbonate(iv)

KHCO3-------------Potassium hydrogen trioxocarbonate(iv)

Volumetric analysis (see chapter 9.2, part 3 of this book)

Exercise

1. Name four equipments used in acid/base titration. What are they used for.

2. Define these terms;

a. A standard solution

b. A buffer solution

c. Titration

d. An end-point

3. Write an example of these reagents used in acid/base

titration

a. Acid b. Base c. Salt

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9.2 Volumetric Analysis
Question

All your burette readings (initial and final) as well as the size of your pipette must be recorded.
No account of experimental procedure is required. All calculations must be done in your answer
book.

A is dilute HCl containing 3.65g of HCl per dm3. B is a solution of impure Na2CO3 containing
1.500gm of the impure salt per 250cm3.

a. Put A into the burette and titrate with 25cm3 portions of B using methyl orange as
indicator. Record the volume of your pipette. Tabulate your burette readings and
calculate the average volume of A used.

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b. From your results and information provided, calculate the:-

(i) Concentration of A in moldm-3

(ii) Concentration of B in moldm-3

(iii) Concentration of B in gdm-3

(iv) The percentage (%) purity of Na2CO3 in the impure solid.

The Equation is:-

2HCl(aq) + Na2CO3(aq) NaCl(aq) + H2O(l) + CO2(g)

Answer

Volume of pipette = 25cm3

Burette Readings TITRATIONS

Rough 1st 2nd 3rd

Final reading (cm3) 25.50 25.50 30.50 8.50

Initial readings (cm3) 0.00 1.00 6.00 4.00

Volume of acid used 25.50 24.50 24.50 24.50

Average vol. of acid used = 24.50 +24.50 + 24.50

3 `1= 24.50cm3

i. Concentration of A in moldm-3

mass conc of A in gdm-3

Molar mass of A in gmol-1

But mass conc. of A = 3.650gdm-3

:. Conc of A in moldm-3 = 3.650gdm-3

365gmol-1

= 0.01,moldm-3

ii. Conc. of B in moldm-3

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 From CAVA = a CA x 24.50 2
C BV B b CB x 25.0cm3 = 1

0.100 x 24.50 2
CB x 25.0 = 1

CB 0.100 x 2450 x 1
=
25.0 x 2

= 0.049
:. Conc of B = 0.05 moldm-3

(iii) Molar mass of (B) Na2CO3 = 106gmol-1

Mass Conc of pure NaCO3 = 0.05moldm-3 x 106gmol-1

Mass Conc of pure NaCO3 = 5.30gdm-3

To find percentage of Na2CO3

Mass Conc. of impure Na2CO3 = Mass m

Volume v

Mass m = 1.500g

Volume v = 250cm3 = 0.25dm3

Mass Conc = m = 1.500g = 6.00gdm-3

v = 0.25dm3

:. % purity of Na2CO3 = 5.30 x 100 = 88.3%

6.00 1

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 Rate of Chemical Reaction

The field of study concerned with the rate of chemical reaction is known as chemical kinetics.
The rate of a chemical reaction is the number of moles of reactants converted to products per unit
time or the number of moles of product formed per unit time.

Rate of reaction = Change in concentration of reactant or product

The time taken for the change.

Factors that Affect the Rate of Chemical Reaction.

The following factors affect the rate of chemical reaction. They are:-

1. The concentration of the reactants

2. Temperature

3. Surface area of the reactants

4. Catalyst

5. Nature of the reactants

6. Pressure

7. Light.

Concentration:- If the concentration of the reactants decreases, the rate of the reaction decreases
and if their concentration increases the rate of reaction also increases. It can be explained that
with the decrease in the concentration of the reactants, the reacting molecules or particles
become less crowded. The intermolecular distances of the particles become longer. This
decreases the frequency of collision and hence the rate of reaction decreases. The reverse occurs
if the concentration of the reactants is increased. Increase in pressure is equivalent to increases in
concentration of gases.

Motivational experiment to show the effect of concentration on the rate of reaction:

Label 5 large test tubes numbers 1-5. Place them orderly in a test tube rack. Measure into test
tubes (nos 2-4) these volumes of distilled water: 1.5 cm 3, 3cm3, 4.5cm3, 6cm3 respectively. Do
not pour water into test tube 1. Then measure into the 5 test tubes 1.5 cm3 of conc HCl. Now 5

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solutions of different concentrations have been made. Test tube - 1 contains the
solution with the highest concentration while test tube 5 contains the one with
the least concentration.

Measure 5 equal lenght (2cm each) of magnesium ribbon. Drop each Mg

ribbon into the test tubes one after the other. Use a stop watch to record the
length of time effervescence occur in each test tube (solution).

What conclusion can you draw from your observation?

Temperature: Increase in temperature of the reactants quickens the rate of a

chemical reaction while decrease in temperature decreases the rate of a
chemical reaction. The reaction rate is affected positively in two ways when the
temperature of the reactants is raised.

Energy is supplied to the reactants in form of heat. They acquire greater

energy. The number of particles with energies equal to or greater than the
activation energy increases.

2. The average velocity (speed) of the reactants increases because they

acquired greater kinetic energy. The reactants collide more frequently
thereby increasing the rate of a chemical reaction.

Motivational experiment to show the effect of temperature on the rate of

reaction: Measure about 15 cm3 of 1M hydrochloric acid into 5 small beakers
labelled numbers 1 to 5. Measure out 5 equal length (3cm each) of magnesium
ribbon. Drop each magnesium ribbon into the beakers one after the other. The
solutions should be placed in the environment (oven) with the following
constant temperatures: 25oC, 35oC, 45oC, 55oC and 65oC respectively. Use a
stop watch to record the time duration of the effervescence. What inference can
you draw from your observation?

the beakers one after the other. The solutions should be placed in the
environment (oven) with the following constant temperatures: 25 oC, 35oC,
45oC, 55oC and 65oC respectively. Use a stop watch to record the time
duration of the effervescence. What inference can you draw from your
observation?

Surface area: Surface area of contact affects the rate of a chemical reaction in
a heterogenous system (eg. reaction between a solid and a liquid). Reaction
occurs faster if the solid is in the powdered form than if it is in lumps. Grinding
the solid increases its surface area and exposes the reacting particles in it.