Experiment #7: Acids, Bases and Salts Mabag, Viannery D., Mangune, Paolo D. Chem 14.1, MAB1, Ms.

Angelyn del Rosario March 8, 2010 I. Abstract The experiment allowed students to explore different electrolytes and classify them into acids, bases and salts by using different indicators or by measuring the pH levels of each. The experiment also helped students classify different substances through their conductivity properties. The preparation of a 1 M stock solution from NaOH pellets diluted to a 0.1 M NaOH solution was also utilized in making the students understand the concept of titration. Using 0.1 M NaOH as a standard solution, the concentration of an unknown acid was calculated from the endpoint of an acid-base titration. II. Keywords: acid, base, salt, pH, electrolytes, conductivity, titration III. Introduction The experiment made the students classify substances as acids, bases, and salts using different indicators; identify pH; classify electrolytes as weak or strong based on conductivity; prepare 1 M NaOH from NaOH pellets; prepare 0.1 M NaOH from 1 M NaOH; determine endpoint of an acid-base titration; and calculate the concentration of an unknown acid solution based from titration data. Electrolytes are substances that dissociate into ions when dissolved in water. They are classifiable into acids, bases and salts using different indicators. An acid releases hydrogen ions, donates protons and accepts electron pairs. It is usually sour in taste and reacts vigorously with most metals. It also changes blue litmus paper to red. Moreover, it has a pH less than 7 and can be used to neutralize bases. A base, on the other hand, releases hydroxyl ions, accepts protons and donates electron pairs. It usually has a bitter taste and is nonreactive to metals. It has a pH more than 7 and changes red litmus paper to blue and can be used to neutralize acids. Salts result from the neutralization of an acid with a base. There are different indicators used to classify electrolytes. Litmus paper, most of which, turns from blue to red with acids and red to blue with bases. Phenolphthalein changes from colourless to pink at a pH range of 8.0 to 9.8. An acid gives a clear color with phenolphthalein while a base gives a reddish violet to pink color. Congo red changes from blue to red at a pH range of 3.0 to 5.0. With Congo red, acids give a blue color while bases give red. The pH paper gives the exact pH of a substance through the different colors of its layers. The pH scale is logarithmic and as a result, a whole pH value below 7 is 10 times more acidic than the next higher value. Conductivity determines the extent of dissociation of a solute therefore classifying them as strong or weak electrolytes and non-electrolytes. Electrolytes conduct electricity while nonelectrolytes do not, since they do not dissociate into ions when in a solution. A preparation of a diluted solution involves adding more solvent to a solution. In this experiment, dilute solutions are prepared from a stock solution. Titration was used to determine the concentration of an unknown acid. In the process, small amounts of the standard solution are added until the endpoint is reached. This is determined by the change in color of the indicator used. From the volumes of the unknown acid and the standard solution, the molarity (M) was calculated. IV. Experimental In this experiment, different electrolytes are classified into acids, bases and salts. 5 drops of 0.1 M solutions of NaOH, NH4Cl, HCl, HC2H3O2, NaCl, C12H22O11 and distilled water were tested with litmus paper, phenolphthalein and congo red to classify them. Colors of each were noted. The pH of the solutions were also taken using pH paper. Afterwards, 1 mL of 1 M HCl and 1 M NaOH were mixed in a test tube. This mixture was tested with available indicators. The procedure was repeated using 1 M acetic acid in place of HCl. The conductivity test was performed to determine whether the solutions had good, weak or no conductivity. Before doing the titration process, a stock solution of 1 M NaOH was prepared using NaOH pellets. The weight of NaOH pellets needed to make 100.00 mL of 1 M NaOH was calculated. This amount of pellets was weighed in a watch glass, then dissolved in 50 mL water. The solution was transferred to a 100 mL volumetric flask and diluted to the mark with distilled water. A 0.1 M of NaOH was prepared from the available concentration. Using M1V1 = M2V2, the volume of NaOH from available concentration needed to prepare 100 mL of 0.1 M NaOH was calculated. The measured volume was diluted to 100.00 mL with distilled water in a volumetric flask. In the titration proper, a base buret was washed thoroughly with soap and water. It was then rinsed thrice with 3 mL portions of the standard base (0.1 M NaOH). The buret was filled with 0.1 M NaOH and air space at the tip was removed. It was set to zero reading and clamped on the iron stand. A 10 mL aliquot of an unknown acid was transferred into an Erlenmeyer flask. 50 mL of distilled water was added along with 2-3 drops of phenolphthalein. The acid was titrated with the Page 1 of 4

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standard base until the first appearance of a permanent light pink coloration. The final volume reading was recorded and the molarity (M) of the unknown acid calculated. V. Results A. Reagents 0.1 M solutions NaOH NH4Cl HCl HC2H3O2 NaCl H2O Sucrose Ethanol HoAc+NaOH HCl+NaOH Reagents 0.1 M solutions NaOH NH4Cl HCl HC2H3O2 NaCl H2O Sucrose Ethanol HoAc+NaOH HCl+NaOH Reagents 0.1 M solutions NaOH NH4Cl HCl HC2H3O2 NaCl H2O Sucrose Ethanol HoAc+NaOH HCl+NaOH
Table 1. Electrolytes

1 M = x moles / 0.1 L 0.1 mole = x 0.1 moles (40 g/mole) = 4 g NaOH C. Preparation of 0.1 M NaOH from available concentration of NaOH

Classification
(On litmus paper)

Congo red Red Red Blue Blue Red Red Blue Red Red Red
pH Classification of acid/base (weak or strong)

Base Acid Acid Acid Base Neutral Acid Neutral Base Base
Phenolphthalein

MCVC = MDVD (1M) (VC) = (0.1M) (100mL) VC = 10 mL D. Titration MAVA = MBVB MA1 = (0.1 M) (10.3 mL) / 10 mL MA1 = 0. 103 M MA2 = (0.1 M) (10.5 mL) / 10 mL MA2 = 0. 105 M (MA1 + MA2) / 2 = (0.103M + 0.105M) / 2 (MA1 + MA2) / 2 = 0.104M VI. Discussions A. Electrolytes Electrolytes are classifiable into acids, bases and salts. Acids have a sour taste and cause certain dyes to change color. A very good example is the litmus paper, as litmus turns red on contact with acids. Furthermore, acids are substances that ionize in aqueous solutions to form hydrogen ions, thereby increasing the concentration of H+ ions. HCl in Table 1 is a common acid. Bases, in contrast, have a bitter taste and slippery feel. Red to blue change in litmus paper characterizes contact with a base. Also, they are substances that accept H+ ions and produce hydroxide ions (OH-) when they dissolve in water. NaOH in Table 1 is a good example. When bases are added to acids, they lower the amount of acid. When acids and bases are mixed in certain proportions, their characteristic properties disappear altogether. The results on Table 1 reflect all of these. B. Conductivity test Furthermore, strong electrolytes, or those that completely ionize in a solution are strong acids and strong bases, while weak electrolytes, or those that are only partly ionized, are considered weak acids and weak bases. These were determined in the experiment through the conductivity test, where the substances were determined to be good, weak or non-electrolytes. Electrolytes are good conductors because they produce ions in solution. The presence of ions causes aqueous solutions to become good Page 2 of 4

Pink Pinkish Colorless Colorless Pinkish Colorless Colorless Colorless Pink Pinkish
Conductivity
(good/weak/none)

14 6 0 3 6 5 3 5 4 1

Strong Neutral Strong Strong Neutral Salt Neutral Neutral Neutral Strong Neutral Salt
Classification

(strong, weak, nonelectrolyte

Good Good Good Good Good None None None Weak Good

Strong Strong Strong Strong Strong Non-electrolyte Non-electrolyte Non-electrolyte Weak Strong Trial 1 10.3 60 Trial 2 10.5 60

Volume of 0.1 M NaOH (mL) Volume of unknown acid solution (mL)

Molarity of unknown acid solution (M) 0.103 0.105 Average molarity of unknown acid solution = 0.104 M
Table 2. Titration of an Acid with a Base

B. Preparation of 1 M NaOH using NaOH pellets

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conductors. Ions carry electrical charge from one electrode to another, completing the electrical circuit. C. Preparation of 1 M and 0.1 M NaOH solution In the preparation of 1 M NaOH using NaOH pellets, first, the number of moles of NaOH in the 100 mL of 1 M NaOH solution was calculated. One-tenths of a mole of NaOH is found in a 100 mL solution of 1 M NaOH. Using the number of moles needed in the solution, we can now calculate the grams. One-tenths mole of NaOH is equal to 4 g NaOH, since the formula weight of NaOH is 40 g/mol. The calculated weight of NaOH pellets is 4 grams. This means that 4 grams of NaOH pellets will be dissolved in H2O to produce 100 mL of 1 M NaOH solution. Now, in the preparation of a 100-mL 0.1 M NaOH solution, we need to determine the volume of the available concentration of NaOH, which is 1 M. From our calculations, 10 mL of 1 M NaOH is needed to prepare 100 mL of 0.1 M NaOH. This 10 mL 1 M NaOH will be diluted in H2O to produce a 100 mL solution with a concentration of 0.1 M. D. Titration In acid-base titration, a solution containing a known concentration of base is slowly added to an acid, or it could be the other way around, the acid is added to the base. Acidbase indicators can be used to signal the equivalence point of a titration. The equivalence point is the point at which stoichiometrically equivalent quantities of acid and base have been brought together. The acid-base indicator used in the experiment is phenolphthalein. Table 2 shows the results of the titration. VII. Guide Questions 1. From your results, what relationship can you draw between the acidity/basicity of a substance and its electrolyte property? Strong acids and bases are strong electrolytes, and weak acids and bases are weak electrolytes. 2. Why are electrolytes conductors of electricity? Electrolytes are good conductors because they produce ions in solution. The presence of ions causes aqueous solutions to become good conductors. Ions carry electrical charge from one electrode to another, completing the electrical circuit.

3. Calculate the pH of the following solutions: a. 0.001 M HCl pH = -log (H+) pH = -log (0.001) pH = 3 b. 0.005 M NaOH [OH-] = 5 x 10-3 M pOH = - log [OH-] pOH = - log (5 x 10-3) pOH= 2.30 pH = 14.00 pOH = 14.00 2.30 = 11.70

c. 0.10 M NH4OH solution (Kb = 1.8 x 10-5)

NH3(aq) + H2O(l) OH-(aq) + NH4+(aq) Kb = [NH4+][ OH-] [NH3] = 1.8 x 10-5 OH-(aq) + 0M +X M XM NH4+(aq) 0M +X M XM

NH3(aq) + H2O(l) 0.10 M -------XM ------(0.10 X) M -------

Kb = [NH4+][ OH-] = (X) (X) = 1.8 x 10-5 [NH3] 0.10 X We neglect X relative to 0.10 M X2 = 1.8 x 10-5 0.10 X2 = (0.10) (1.8 x 10-5) = 1.8 x 10-6 X = [OH-] = (1.8 x 10-6) = 1.34 x 10-3 pOH = - log [OH-] pOH = - log (1.34 x 10-3) = 2.87 pH = 14.00 pOH pH = 14.00 2.87 pH = 11.13

d. 0.02 M HCOOH (Ka = 1.8 x 10-4)

HCOOH H+ + HCOOKa = [H+] [HCOO-] [HCOOH] H+ 0 +X M XM = 1.8 x 10-4 + HCOO0 +X M XM

HCOOH 0.02 M -X M (0.02 X) M

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Ka = [H+] [HCOO-] = (X) (X) = 1.8 x 10-4 [HCOOH] 0.02 X Assume that x is negligible compared to 0.02. 0.02 X 0.02 Ka = x2 = 1.8 x 10-4 0.02 Solving for x, we have X2 = (0.02)(1.8 x 10-4) = 3.6 x 10-6 X = (3.6 X 10-6) = 1.9 x 10-3 [H+] = x = 1.9 x 10-3 M pH = - log (1.9 x 10-3) = 2.72 VIII. Conclusions and Recommendations The experiment allowed us to identify acids, bases and salts using indicators like phenolphthalein, congo red, litmus paper and pH paper. Using these, we were able to determine the different properties of acids, bases and salts. A pH of less than 7 is acidic, a pH of more than 7, basic, and equal to 7, neutral. The conductivity test, on the other hand, was used to determine which were strong, weak, or non-electrolytes, which can later on determine which are strong and weak acids and bases. In titration, a solution of accurately known concentration, called a standard solution, is added gradually to another solution of unknown concentration, until the chemical reaction between the two solutions is complete. If the volumes of the standard and unknown solutions used in the

titration are known, along with the concentration of the standard solution, the concentration of the unknown solution can be calculated. In this sense, it must then be noted that calculations for the concentrations of NaOH to be used should be made accurate, as the lack of accuracy may alter the results. Furthermore, it is recommended that more trials be done for the titration in order for us, students to fully comprehend the process which is new to us. Measurements and calculations must also be made as exact as possible. Deviations from the given instructions must only be done when the instructor tells so. IX. References Chang, R. (1998). Chemistry 6th ed. USA: McGraw-Hill Brown, T., et. al. (2003). Chemistry the central science 9th ed. Phils: PESA Ltd. Brown, T. Chemistry: The Central Science, Eight Edition. Prentice-Hall, Inc., 2002. I hereby certify that I have given substantial contribution to this report.

VIANNERY D. MABAG

PAOLO D. MANGUNE

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