POTENTIOMETRIC TITRATION

I.
Introduction
Acid-base titrations, by concept, is also called a neutralization reaction, since it involves an acid
and a base (that is regardless of strength, either one is weak or one is strong or either weak or
both strong and ad infinitum), and regularly have the products of salt and water. The completion
of the reaction is reached when the number of moles of the acid is equal to the moles of the
base, or technically the equivalence point is reached. In this point, if the stoichiometric ratios of
the acid and base are equal, we can solve for the concentration of the unknown by using the
dilution equation, that is, M1V1=M2V2. For diprotic and triprotic acids and bases that are titrated
with a strong acid/base, however, have many equivalence points, depending on how protic it
is(i.e. a diprotic acid/base has two equivalence points, whereas a triprotic acid/base has three)
since the acid/base has to converted to its less acidic/basic form, or its intermediates. A good
example would be a diprotic acid titrated using a strong base (in this case, sodium hydroxide), or
H2A. The reaction would proceed, forming HA-, and ultimately forming the base, A 2-. But in this
titration, you cannot determine its actual pH at a certain aliquot of the titrant, since what we are
using in this type of titration is an indicator, an organic compound added to the solution to see
the equivalence point by a change of color. In doing so, a pH meter is used to monitor the
measurement of pH of the titration process at hand. The pH meter measures the [H+]
concentration of the solution, so if the titration goes from base to acid, the pH must be computed
as pH=14-pOH, where pOH is the initial reading of pH. By using a pH meter in an acid-base
titration to monitor the pH variations of the titration process, we call this process a
potentiometric titration, wherein it finds the equivalence point not through an indicator, but
through a graph that signifies the relationship between the recorded amount of titrant used, and
the measured pH of the system.
II.
Methodology
Obtain the unknown sample for your group. From your laboratory instructor, obtain the mass of
the unknown sample and its molar concentration.
Potentionmetric Titration of Unknown Acid
buret was filled up to the 0.0-mL mark with the standard 0.05 N NaOH. The initial pH of the
unknown acid solution was recorded. The unknown acid solution was titrated potentiometrically
with the standard NaOH solution using 1.50-mL aliquots of titrant at a time. Steer the Solution
after every titration. The 1.50-mL aliquots of titrant was repeated 4 times, next 5mL aliquots for
8 times, then 10mL aliquots 6 times, and lastly 20ml aliquots for 2 times. The pH level was
recorded after every titration.
III.
Results and Discussion
Unknown Acid Sample
Mass of beaker
Mass of beaker + acid
Mass of acid
Molarity
pH
Potentionmetric Titration of Unknown Acid
Titrant Volume, mL (1.5mL aliquot)
1.5
3
4.5
6
Titrant Volume, mL (5mL aliquot)
11
16
21

67.4302g
88.3175g
20.8873g
0.2M
1.4
pH
1.4
1.4
1.5
1.5
1.5
1.6
1.7

26
31
36
41
46
Titrant Volume, mL (10mL aliquot)
56
66
76
86
96
106
Titrant Volume, mL (20mL aliquot)
126
146

1.7
1.8
1.9
2.0
2.0
2.4
2.5
3.1
5.8
6.4
6.9
7.4
8.2

Graph pH vs. Volume of titrant

pH
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
0
0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

Titrant Volume, mL
Based on the graph will be the determination of the ionization constant K a of the unknown acid. This
will come in two ways. First would be the calculation of the ionization constant using titration data.
By getting the volume of the titrant at the equivalence point, on the half -equivalence point, and the
pH value of 50% neutralization, we can compute for the pH of the system by using the equation:
pH50% neutral = pKa and pH = pKa +(A- / HA). After this, the other method would be the calculation of the
ionization constant based on initial pH. By having the assumed concentration of the unknown acid to
be equal to the concentration of the titrant and its initial pH, the pH will be computed by the following
equation: pH = [H+]2 / (CHA - [H+]). By comparing both values to some known acids ionization
constants, the identity of the unknown acid will be clarified.

IV.

Summary and conclusion

This experiment concluded the concepts involving potentiometric titration. By specifically using a
calibrated pH meter using buffer solutions of standardized concentrations, the pH of the solution is
constantly measured as to adding an exact amount of the titrant that is measured accordingly to its
equivalent aliquot. This is done until the pH of the system is constant and more or less basic (since
we are handling an analyte that is classified as an unknown acid, which is being titrated by a strong
base). After plotting the values of pH against volume of the titrant, we form a graph that will
determine the equivalence point of the reaction. By using the values of the volume @50%
neutralization, the equivalence point and the initial value of the pH, we can compute for the ionization
constant of the unknown acid, as well as identifying the molecular formula of the acid and identifying
the acid itself. Errors should be avoided especially on the consistency of putting an exact amount of
the titrant, as this will in small amounts, will collectively deter the position as to where the
equivalence point should be, therefore getting an incorrect ionization constant in the following
changes, and it further deteriorates the consistency of the experiment itself.

V.
References
Christian, Gary D. 2004. Analytical chemistry (6th ed.). John Wiley and Sons Inc.
Hage, David S. and James D. Carr. 2011. Analytical chemistry and quantitative analysis. New
Jersey: Pearson Prentice Hall.
Skoog, Douglas et. al. 2004. Fundamentals of Analytical Chemistry (8th ed.). Singapore: Thomson
Learning.