Molly Zhang

SNC2DG-01
Livirsidge
October 19th 2015
Analyzing an Acid Spill Using Neutralization Reactions
Introduction:
The purpose of this lab to the examine the effects of a sulphuric acid spill while exploring
how to neutralize acids, as well as examining how long it takes for the water to naturally
neutralize. Following an acid spill near a river, river water is collected in order to determine and
compare the acidity of the water in the river every day, over a span of 7 days. To conduct this
experiment and compare the level of acidity, sodium hydroxide solution was added in, and
measured for each day to determine how much was needed to neutralize the acidity of the
water. All acids and their counterparts, bases, are aqueous solutions. Properties of acids are
only revealed once dissolved in water, due to acids always releasing one or more hydrogen
ion(s). These hydrogen ions that are released is what is believed to cause acids to have the
properties they do (Adam-Carr, 269). Some of these properties include having a sour taste, and
having the ability to conduct electricity. Bases, although have some common properties with
acids (such as the ability to conduct electricity), are still very different from acids as they release
hydroxide ions when it dissolved in water (chemistryabout). It also has a few different properties
that acids dont have, such as having a slippery/soapy feel, or a bitter taste. There are many
different indicators that can be used to distinguish acids and bases. For example, three of the
more common indicators used are bromothymol blue,which will be yellow in acid, and blue in a
base, litmus paper, which turns red from acids, and blue in a base, and phenolphthalein, which
is colourless in an acid, and pink in a base (Adam-Carr, 270). We see acids and bases every
day in our lives, with some being more harmless, while other acids and bases are much more
dangerous, depending on how strong or weak an acid or base is. When an acid/base is weak, it
is only partially ionized in solutions, which also means that strong acids/bases are the solutions
that are fully ionized (Uwaterloo). A stronger acid would be lemon juice (with a pH of 2), and a
stronger base would be a drain cleaner (with a pH of 13), or bleach (with a pH of 12), whereas a

Molly Zhang
SNC2DG-01
Livirsidge
October 19th 2015
weak acid would be one that is almost neutral, such as milk (with a pH of 6), and an example of
a weak base would be baking soda (with a pH of 8.3). How acidic or basic a solution is, is
determined by the pH of the acid or base, which is ranging from a scale of 1-14, with 1 being the
most acidic, and 14 being the most basic. The closer the pH is to 7, the weaker the base/acid is.
This pH is determined by how many hydrogen or hydroxide ions are present. As mentioned
previously, a solution with a high number of hydroxide ions would make it a stronger base,

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which would indicate it has a higher number on the pH scale. Something with more hydrogen
ions, would be a stronger acid, which would be much lower on the pH scale. Something that is
neutral (such as pure water) has a pH of 7, with anything less than that being acidic and
anything more than that being basic.

As the pH scale goes up by one, the acidity of a solution

increases by 10 times. For example, a solution with a pH of 4 is ten times as acidic as

something with a pH of 3, one hundred times more acidic than something with a pH of 2, and
one thousand times more acidic than something with a pH of 1 (Adam-Carr, 272). In order to
neutralize an acid or a base, you need to react an acid and a base together, which will react to
form a more neutral product; often was is produced is an ionic compound call a salt, as well as
water. This neutralization occurs due to the hydroxide and hydrogen ions in the acid and base
combining together to form the water (H + OH = HOH or H2O) that is the product of these
reactions

(Adam-Carr,

278).

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Results- Table 1:

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Results- Figure 1:

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Questions:
1. What variables did you have to keep constant in order to ensure that your test was
fair/unbiased?

(T/I

marks)

There were many control variables involved with the experiment to ensure the data was all
correct and fair. One of the most important variables were the graduated cylinders we used,
as all of them had to be completely cleaned out. If there was anything in the cylinders that
were acidic or basic, it could have skewed results by changing the colour the bromothymol
blue turned, and even a slight change could cause a huge difference in the amount of
sodium hydroxide required. Another control variable was the amounts of liquids we used
while doing each trial, as we had to be completely sure we had exact amounts each time, as
since this experiment was measured by mL, having too much or too little of a water sample
would have in turn made the data inaccurate. It was also crucial to ensure that when stirring
the liquids, nothing spilled out as that also would have affected the data. Both of these
happening would either decrease or increase the mL when it wasnt supposed to be

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increased or decrease. A final variable that should have been a control variable, but was
harder to control, was to ensure that throughout the experiment, the same shade of blue was
present as we recorded down the mL of sodium hydroxide atom. This is because if it was a
darker blue in the first trial, and then a lighter greener blue in the second trial, than it would
be very likely for the first trial to have a higher amount of sodium hydroxide added. Not being
able to measure an exact pH of the water to ensure that it has a pH of 7 is something that
could

have

2. Using

the

made

graph,

this

experiment

answer

the

much

more

following

precise.

questions:

a) Describe the shape of your graph (linear, curve, positive or negative slope). What
information does it communicate about the relationship between the acidity of the
water sample and the volume of sodium hydroxide required to neutralize the acid? (T/I
-

marks)

The graph I have shows a curved negative slope which gradually gets less and less steep,
up until Day 5, in which it just falls flat. Looking at the data, this tells you that the volume of
sodium hydroxide added in to neutralize the water samples decreases as the acidity of the
water decreases. It is most likely that the acidity of the water samples goes down as the
days pass, which allows you the see that the relationship between the acidity of the water
samples and the amount of sodium hydroxide required decreases. For example, when the
water is more acidic (eg. pH of 3), more sodium hydroxide is required, and when the water is
close to being a base (eg. pH of 6.5), less sodium hydroxide is required to neutralize the
water.
b) How many days did it take for the river to return to a neutral pH? Explain how you
determined

this

value.

(T/I

marks)

The river returned to its neutral pH after 4 days. I know this because on the 5th day, the line
on the graph falls flat. Looking at the data, I can also see that the number of mL on day 5 is
at 0, signifying that there was 0 sodium hydroxide required. The lack of sodium hydroxide

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added shows that the water was already blue as soon as we put in the bromothymol blue,
which

shows

us

that

the

water

was

already

neutral.

3. The following chemical equation represents the neutralization of sulphuric acid with
magnesium

hydroxide:

H2(SO4)(aq)

Mg(OH)2(aq)

->

2H20(l)

Mg(SO4)(s)

Would the use of magnesium hydroxide instead of sodium hydroxide be more

efficient at neutralizing the sulphuric acid? Justify your answer. (In your answer, refer
to the chemical equations and the chemical formula of the bases in both chemical
reactions.)

(App-

marks)

Magnesium Hydroxide would be more effective than sodium in neutralizing sulphuric acids,
as when you look at the two chemical formulas, you can see that magnesium hydroxide is a
stronger base. This is because when the magnesium bonds with the hydroxide ions, there
are two hydroxide ions needed in order to make a strong bond, due to magnesium having a
charge of positive 2 and hydroxide only having a charge of negative one. If you compare this
to sodium hydroxide, you can also see that when bonding, only one hydroxide ion is needed
to bond properly with sodium, as sodium only has a charge of positive one. This means that
sodium hydroxide is not as strong of a base as magnesium hydroxide, therefore magnesium
hydroxide

should

be

more

efficient

at

neutralizing

the

sulphuric

acid.

4. Over time, a crusty deposit of calcium carbonate forms on the heating element inside
a kettle. Use your understanding of the reactions of carbonates with acids to suggest
a way to remove this deposit. Provide a balanced chemical equation to support your

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answer.

(App

marks)

Acids react with carbonate compounds to produce carbon dioxide gas, water, and salts. This
means that to get rid of the calcium carbonate, a simple method would be to use an acid to
react with this carbonate. One the acid reacts with the carbonate, the carbon dioxide gas is
harmless and will already be removed as it will spread out into the air, and the water would
be easy to dispose of. The salts, which are just small crystal, powdery substances, can then
be easily removed and cleaned out of the kettle. One of the most useful acids in cleaning the
kettle would be hydrobromic acid, as this acid is used to make cleaning compounds. (AdamCarr, 269). Using this acid and reacting it with the carbonate would be one of the most
efficient
Ca(CO3)

5.

ways

to
+

remove

the

2HBR(aq)

calcium
->

carbonate
CO2

deposit
+

from

H2O

the
+

kettle.
CaBr2

Some skin creams and skin cleansers claim that they are pH balanced and yet they
do not have a pH of 7. Conduct some research and explain what manufacturers mean
when

they

say

pH

balanced?

(App

marks)

Cleansers that have the label pH balanced doesnt mean the same as it would in a scientific
situation. Generally, being balanced would indicate having a pH of 7, which means that it
would be neither an acid or a base, it would be neutral. However, the outermost layer of your
skin has a pH of 5.5, which means that it is slightly acidic (howstuffworks). This acidity is
made from a thin protect layer on your skin, called the acid mantle. This mantle is made up
of fatty acids extracted from the oil glands in your skin, which protects you from many skin
conditions, such as dermatitis or eczema (pharmacymix). Your skin having this acidity is
what helps it keep moisturized, and it is also a factor that allows your skin to keep out germs
and bacteria. Facial products that have a label of pH balanced, indicate that the pH of that
product is around 5.5, however often will be more to break down dirt and oil. Having a pH
with an acidity closest to your skin pH will allow it to be healthier and retain is original
protective properties (howstuffworks).

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Literature

Cited:

"Weak Acids and Bases." Weak Acids and Bases. Uwaterloo, n.d. Web. 20 Oct. 2015.

"Pharmacymix.com, Skin Care Pharmacy and Blog Specializing in Anthelios and Mexoryl
Sunscreens." Pharmacymixcom Skin Care Pharmacy and Blog Specializing in Anthelios and
Mexoryl

Sunscreens

RSS.

Pharmacymix,

n.d.

Web.

20

Oct.

2015.

"What Does PH-Balanced Mean?" HowStuffWorks. N.p., 19 Aug. 2009. Web. 20 Oct. 2015.

"Learn Key Acids and Bases Definitions." About.com Education. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Oct. 2015.

Adam-Carr, Christine. Science Perspectives 10. Toronto: Nelson Education, 2010. Print.