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Introduction
Titration is one of the most widely used techniques in analytical chemistry, and enables us
to find the concentration of an unknown solution by using a solution whose concentration we
do know.
To perform a titration, we accurately measure one of our solutions into a conical flask, and
slowly the second solution to it from a burette. When the end point of the reaction is
reached, we record the volume added. It is important to do several runs of a titration: the
first one is the rough one, you should then do enough accurate runs to get two consecutive
trials that agree to within 0.1 cm3. Your observations should be recorded in a table like this:
Run
Initial Volume
(cm3)
Final Volume
(cm3)
Titre (cm3)
Rough
Accurate 1
Accurate 2
C 1 V 1 C2 V 2
=
n1
n2
Where:
C = concentration in mol dm-3
V = volume (any units so long as they are the same)
n = coefficient (amount) of the reactant in the balanced equation
1 = the reactant with unknown concentration
2 = the reactant with known concentration
This rearranges to the following, which lets you calculate the unknown concentration, C 1:
C1 =
n1C2V 2
n2V 1
In this experiment you will be expected to perform an acid-base titration using the
standardized solution of sodium hydroxide.
Burette
Clamp-stand and burette clamp
White tile
10 cm3 bulb-pippete (graduated pipette
OK)
Pipette filler
100 cm3 conical flask
Performing a Titration
Analysis
Acid-Base Titration
The equation for the acid-base reaction is as follows:
2 NaOH(aq) + H2SO4(aq) Na2SO4(aq) + 2 H2O(l)
1. Calculate the average titre; this should be the average of your two closest runs
(excluding the rough).
2. Use the equations in the introduction to determine the concentration of sulphuric acid
used.
3. The actual concentration of sulphuric acid provided was 0.100 molar. Calculate the
percentage error in your result (this is just the difference between yours and the actual
concentration, divided by the actual concentration and converted to %)
4. What do you think are the main sources of error in the experiment, and which was most
significant?
5. What could you do to reduce these sources of error?