FACULTY OF SCIENCE

BACHELOR OF SCIENCE (HONS) CHEMISTRY

UDEC 1134
CHEMISTRY LABORATORY I

Name:
Tam Sin Yin
ID number:
1303229
Name of Partners:
Ong Zhi Qi, Deanna Koh Jin Yee
Practical group:
Practical group 2
Experiment number:
Experiment 12
Experiment Title: Determination of the enthalpy (heat) of
reaction of a monobasic acid with sodium hydroxide
Experiment Date:
28.1.2015
Submission Date:
11.2.2015
Lecturer Name:
Dr.Sim Yoke Leng

Title:
Determination of the enthalpy(heat) of reaction of a monobasic acid with sodium
hydroxide.
Objectives:
1. To understand the enthalpy chemistry.
2. To determine the calorimeter constant.
3. To determine the enthalpy of reaction of acid-base reactions.
Introduction:
Thermodynamic is the study of energy and heat in motion. Enthalpy is the amount of heat
content used or released in a system, denoted as H. The enthalpy is related to internal
energy and change in the volume. It is defined as the sum of internal energy and the
product of pressure and volume. S.I unit for enthalpy is Joule,J or kiloJoule, kJ.
H= U + pV
Enthalpy normally expressed as the change in enthalpy, H because the total enthalpy of
the system, H cannot be measured directly. Change in enthalpy, H can be defined as:
H= Hfinal Hinitial
Where Hinitial is the enthalpy of the reactants in a chemical reaction and Hfinal is the
enthalpy of the products in a chemical reaction. Usually there are changes in enthalpy
when any chemical or physical changes happen due to the bond formation or deformation
during reaction. When chemical bonds are formed, energy is released to environment. On
the other hand, energy is needed to break the bonds. Therefore, when involving the
releasing or absorbing of energy, it leads to changes in enthalpy.
By looking at the magnitude of the change in enthalpy, H , we can determine that the
chemical reaction is either endothermic or exothermic, absorbing energy or releasing
energy. At constant pressure, the heat flow for the process is equal to the change in
enthalpy defined by the equation:
H=q, where q= mCT
Heat, q can be measured adiabatically in a Dewar calorimeter based on the changes in
temperature of the products produced by the reaction in the solution. The increase or
decrease in temperature of the products produced by the reaction in solution is being
measured and compared with the initial temperature of the system. Dewar flask is being
used as calorimeter in this experiment to minimize heat loss to surrounding. Each Dewar
flask has different calorimeter constant. Therefore, the calorimeter constant must first be
determined because that is the quantity of heat required to raise the temperature of the
calorimeter and its contents by 1C. This can be measured by supplying the calorimeter
and contents a known amount of heat which is adding a known amount of concentrated
sulphuric acid to the contents.

Calorimeter constant =

H
T

Apparatus:
Dewar flask, stopwatch, thermometer, 50 cm3 graduated pipette fitted with a suction bulb,
10 cm3 graduated cylinder, burette.
Materials:
Concentrated sulphuric acid (specific gravity 1.84, 98.5% H2SO4), concentrated nitric
acid, 1M sodium hydroxide, 0.1M hydrochloric acid, methyl orange indicator.
Experimental procedure:
Dewar flask made a suitable calorimeter.
1. Calorimeter constant
100 cm3 of water was pipette into the Dewar flask. Then, the water was stirred slowly and
regularly with a thermometer and the temperature was recorded at intervals of 5 seconds
over a period of 25 seconds. At the end of the 25 seconds, 2 cm3 of concentrated
sulphuric acid was poured into the Dewar flask by using a graduated cylinder. The
temperature was continue to be recorded and the contents was continue to be stirred until
the rate of the rise of temperature had become constant. The contents of the calorimeter
were allowed to cool. Finally, 25 cm3 of the solution was titrated using a burette against
1M sodium hydroxide to determine the molarity of the solution.
2. Enthalpy of the reaction
50 cm3 of 1M sodium hydroxide and 50 cm3 of water was mix in the calorimeter.
Temperature was recorded at intervals of 5 seconds over a period of 25 seconds. At the
end of the 25 seconds, 5 cm3 of 10 M nitric acid was added into the Dewar flask. (10 M
acid was prepared by diluting 65 cm3 of concentrated nitric acid to 100 cm3 with distilled
water). The temperature was continue to be observed and recorded. Then, few drops of
methyl orange indicator was added into the solution of calorimeter to ensure that the
solution is acid. If solution was alkaline, 0.1 m hydrochloric acid was titrated in the
calorimeter to determine the exact amount of alkali neutralized during the experiment.
The experiment was repeated by using 100 cm3 of distilled water instead of 50 cm3 of 1
M sodium hydroxide and 50 cm3 of distilled water.

Results:

Part 1: Calorimeter constant

Time interval (s)

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

50

55

60

65

70

Temperature( oC)

27

27

27

27

27

33

35

37

37

37

37

33

32

32

65

70

32

32

Table show the temperature when 2cm3 of sulphuric acid added to 100cm3 water.
Titration of 25 cm3 of solution against 1 M sodium hydroxide
Initial reading of burette: 30.cm3
Final reading of burette: 46.1cm3
Volume of sodium hydroxide (NaOH) used: 16.1cm3
Part 2: Enthalpy of reaction
Time interval (s) 3 5
Acid added / cm

10

15
20
25
30 35
40
45
50 55
Molarity of solution /
Heat liberated / kJ
60
M
Temperature( oC) 25
25 25
25
25
29 31
32
33
33 32
0.6
0.108
0.802
32
0.75
0.138
1.016
1.5
00.276
1.987
2.3
0.421
3.016
2.5
0.459
3.293
3
Table show the temperature when 5cm of 10 M nitric acid was added to mixture(50 cm3
of 1M sodium hydroxide and 50 cm3 of water).
Time interval (s)

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

50

55

60

65

70

Temperature( oC)

24

24

24

24

24

25

25

25

25

25

25

25

25

25

Table show the temperature when 5cm3 of 10 M nitric acid was added to 100 cm3 of
distilled water.

Graph is plotted with heat liberated against molarity of solution.

Calculation:
From the graph of temperature against time (Part 1),
T = (37.0-27.0) oC
= 10.0 oC

Volume of sodium hydroxide, NaOH used: 16.10 cm3

Number of mole of sodium hydroxide, NaOH used =

MV
1000

( 1 ) (16.10)
1000

= 0.0161 mol
In this experiment, H2SO4 + 2NaOH
Na2SO4 + 2H2O
From the equation, we know that one mole of sulphuric acid react with two mole of
sodium hydroxide to form sodium sulfate. Therefore,
1
Number of mole of sulphuric acid, H2SO4 used = 2 x 0.0161
= 0.00805 mol

Molarity of sulphuric acid, H2SO4 =

=

( Number of mole)(1000)
V

( 0.00805 ) (1000)
25

= 0.322 M
By using the value of the molarity of sulphuric acid which is 0.322M, we can estimate
that the heat liberated out from the graph of heat liberated against molarity of the
solution. The estimated amount of heat liberated is 2.300 kJ. Since the heat is released
from sulphuric acid and is absorbed by Dewar flask, therefore, the value of Q is positive.
Assume that densities of all solutions are 1.00g/ml and T is 10K,
Q= mCT
Q
C= m T
C=

23 00 J
( 102 ) (10)

C= 2.255 Jg-1K-1
Therefore, calorimeter constant is 2.255 Jg-1K-1.

From graph of temperature against time (Part 2)(I),

T = (33.0 -25.0) oC
= 8 oC
HNO3 + NaOH
NaNO3 + H2O
Assume that densities of all solutions are 1.00g/ml and T is 8K,
Q neutralization+dilution = mC T
=(105g)(2.255Jg-1K-1)(8K)
=1894.2 J
From the equation above, one mole of nitric acid react with one mole of sodium
hydroxide to form one mole of sodium nitrate.
Therefore, number of mole of nitric acid or number of mole sodium hydroxide is equal to
number of mole sodium nitrate.
Number of mole of nitric acid = Number of mole of sodium nitrate
MV
= 1000

( 10 ) (5)
1000

=0.05 mol
1894.2 J
0.05mol

Q neutralization + dilution =

= 37884 J/mol

Since neutralization is an exothermic reaction, so H is in negative value.

Therefore, H neutralization+ dilution = - 37884 J/mol

From graph of temperature against time (Part 2)(II),

T = (25.0 -24.0) oC
= 1 oC
Assume that densities of all solutions are 1.00g/ml and T is 1K,
Q dilution = mC T

=(105g)(2.255Jg-1K-1)(1K)
=236.78 J

Number of mole of nitric acid =

MV
1000

( 10 ) (5)
1000

=0.05 mol
Q dilution =

236.78 J
0.05 mol

= 4735.6 J/mol
Dilution is also an exothermic reaction, therefore, the H value also negative.
Therefore, H dilution = -4735.6 J/mol.
Hence, we obtained the Qreaction by using the formula below,
Q reaction= H reaction = Q neutralization + dilution = Q neutralization + Q dilution
H neutralization = H reaction - H dilution
= -37884 J/mol (- 4735.6 )) J/mol
= -33148.4 J/mol
Discussion:
In this experiment, Dewar flask play a role as calorimeter because of its thermos
flask properties that consist of a layer of vacuum that restrict any transfer of heat. With
the help of this properties, heat loss was being minimized. The calorimeter constant of
Dewar flask has been determined and the value is 2.255Jg-1K-1 indicate that for every
2.255 J of energy absorbed by the Dewar flask, the contents of the Dewar flask will
increase by 1oC.
For the beginning part of the experiment, 100cm3 of water was added into the
dewar flask then followed by the 2cm3 of the concentrated sulphuric acid. This reaction is
said to be exothermic because the energy is release to surrounding and the temperature
increase by 10 oC. Next, the content in the Dewar flask was titrated with sodium
hydroxide to determine the molarity of the concentration of sulphuric acid. After
calculating the molarity, then we able to get the amount of heat liberated from the graph
of heat liberated against molarity. Finally, the calorimeter constant can be calculated by
using the formula :

Q= mCT
However, the calorimeter constant that we calculated is not that accurate due to the error
we make during the experiment. First, the calorimeter is not isolated and there might be
some heat loss the surrounding which causes the result of the temperature change slightly
lesser than what it should be. Besides that, Dewar flask can only prevent conduction and
convection of heat but is unable to prevent radiation of heat because heat can actually
travel through vacuum by radiation and radiation cannot be controlled. Then, the
calorimeter was not covered during the experiment. This causes the chemical change of
the solution in Dewar flask were not taken place adiabatically and there might be some
minor exchange of heat of the system with the environment. In this case where the
calorimeter is not covered, we called it as open system. Open system will affect the result
of the temperature change.
For part 2(I) reaction, when sodium hydroxide and water react with nitric acid,
this reaction is a neutralization reaction where 1 mol of nitric acid, HNO3 react with 1
mol of sodium hydroxide, NaOH to form sodium nitrate, NaNO3.
HNO3 + NaOH
NaNO3 + H2O
In this reaction, the temperature of the content increase, it means that energy is being
released from the system to surrounding and the reaction known as exothermic. The value
of change in enthalpy H is a negative value. For this part of reaction, we do not take the
value of enthalpy of neutralization because dilution of nitric acid that happen in this
reaction also can cause changes in the enthalpy. So, in part 2 (II) reaction, the experiment
of dilution of nitric acid was carried out by adding 5cm3 of 10M nitric acid into 100cm3
of water.
HNO3 + H2O
H3O+ + NO3Nitric acid is a highly reactive oxidizing agent and a strong monobasic acid. The nitric
acid lost 1 hydrogen atom and the atom was absorbed by the H2O and the H3O+ become
the product which was concluded as the acid solution. The purpose of this part of reaction
is to find the enthalpy of dilution of nitric acid in water. This dilution is known to be an
exothermic reaction because heat is being released that causes the temperature to
increase.
There are few precautions steps have to be carried out such as wearing gloves and
goggles during the experiment to avoid the contact of bare hand, skin or eyes with the
corrosive chemical. The bottle of the concentrated nitric acid and sulphuric acid has to be
carefully handles and has to be closed without using and place it in the fume hood
because white fumes of both of the chemicals can be toxic. Besides that, during the
experiment, fully attention was paid during the time recording when the acid was adding
into the Dewar flask.

Conclusion:
By calculating using equation, the calorimeter constant of the Dewar flask is2.255 Jg-1K-1.
In part 2 of the experiment, enthalpy of the reaction were to be determined but the
enthalpy of dilution need to be considered as it can affect the results. So, enthalpy of
dilution is then calculated which is -4735.6 J/mol. After deduct this enthalpy of dilution
from the total enthalpy of reaction, the enthalpy of neutralization is -33148.4 J/mol. It
said to be exothermic reaction because energy is released to the surrounding.
References:
AUS-e-TUTE, 2014. Chemistry Tutorial: Enthalpy(Heat) of Neutralisation. [Online].
Available at: http://www.ausetute.com.au/heatneutral.html [Accessed 8 February 2015]
Clark, J., 2010. Various enthalpy change definitions. [Online]. Available at:
http://www.chemguide.co.uk/physical/energetics/definitions.html [Accessed 8 February
2015]
Enthalpies of reactions. [Online]. Available at:
http://www.science.uwaterloo.ca/~cchieh/cact/c120/heatreac.html [Accessed 8 February
2015]
Enthalpy- Chemwiki. [Online]. Available at:
http://chemwiki.ucdavis.edu/Physical_Chemistry/Thermodynamics/State_Functions/Enth
alpy [Accessed 8 February 2015]