Title: Determination of the concentration of acetic acid in vinegar.

Abstract:

Acetic acid is the major acid that is found in vinegar. Acetic acid is also known as ethanoic acid,
and its molecular formula is C2H4O2. It is found in many other substances other than vinegar,
such as explosives, sugars, and starch. Acetic acid can be formed in the atmosphere and it can
also be produced when biological waste decomposes. Humans are regularly exposed to acetic
acid through foods and also from the air and are not in any danger from this exposure
(PubChem). Acetic acid by itself is clear and colorless. It gives vinegar its distinct odor. In this
experiment, it is divided into two sections which are standardizing the NaOH solution is the first
section and the second section is to determine the molarity of a solution and the percent by mass
of acetic acid in vinegar. Initially, in standardizing the NaOH solution, 250 mL of distilled water
is used to dilute approximately 6 g of NaOH solid in order to prepare 0.6 M NaOH solution. This
NaOH solution is then titrated with potassium hydrogen phthalate, KHP solution which has been
prepared by diluting 1.5 g of KHP granules in 30mL of distilled water. Afterwards, the second
section was carried out to standardized NaOH solution that was titrated with 10 mL vinegar and
has been diluted with 100 mL of distilled water. To get an average molarity of sodium
hydroxide, NaOH three titrations was recorded and carried out for both sections and in the
second section the percent mass of acetic acid in vinegar was calculated. Therefore, it can be
conclude that the larger the mass of solute in the acid solution, the more concentrated the
solution becomes thus, the higher the molarity and there will be more volume of NaOH needed
to neutralize the acid.

Introduction:

Vinegar is essentially a solution of acetic acid (HC2H3O2) in water. Acetic acid is the primary
components of vinegar. Carbon is used as base compound with a single ionize proton and
producing large organic acid which is called carboxylic acids that have functional group -COOH.

Next, in alcoholic solutions it contains less than 18% grain alcohol which can become into
vinegar when the airbone bacteria oxidize the alcohol into acetic acid. This can be shown by the
equation:
 CH3CH2OH(aq) + [O] CH3CO2H(aq)

Here, in this equation the oxygen ion [O] is used as oxidizing agent. For example, white vinegar
is prepared from distilled alcohol. Cider vinegar can be produced from fermented apples. The
contents of acetic acid in vinegar is varies for table vinegars which is usually about 5-8% and for
the pickling vinegars is about 18%. Vinegars can be used in everyday life such as for cooking,
pickling, cleaning and gardening.

In this experiment, the concentration of acetic acid in vinegar can be determined in molarity
which is in (mol/L) or as mass percent where by using the equation:

Molarity = Moles of Acetic Acid / Volume of Vinegar (in L)

Mass % = [Mass of Acetic Acid / Mass of Vinegar] x 100

In this technique, a technique known as titration is perform to determine the concentration of

acetic acid in vinegar. A titration technique is a technique when a solution of known
concentration is used to determine the unknown concentration. In this experiment, the titrant
0.6 M sodium hydroxide (NaOH) which is known as the known solution is added from a burette,
a device that allows the precise delivery of a specific volume of a solution to the known quantity
of analyte that is the vinegar. When the titrant and analyte is mixed, a neutralization process
occurs between sodium hydroxide (NaOH) and vinegar:

NaOH (aq) + HC2H3O2 (aq) NaC2H3O2 (aq) + H2O (l)

Then, the sodium hydroxide (NaOH) will be gradually added to vinegar in small amounts from
burette. The sodium hydroxide (NaOH) will be added to the vinegar sample until all the acetic
acid in the vinegar has been exactly consumed (reacted away). At this point the reaction is
completed, and no more sodium hydroxide (NaOH) is required. This is called the equivalence
point of the titration. Thus, by knowing the concentration and volume of the titrant used, the
number of moles titrant can be determined.
Theory

In this experiment, titration process is a method of analysis that will allow to determine the
precise endpoint of a reaction and therefore the precise quantity of reactant in the titration flask.
A burette is used to deliver the second reactant to the flask and an indicator or pH meter is used
to detect the endpoint of the reaction.

a)

Figure 1.1: Titration

In this experiment, the equivalence point can be determined when the moles of acid in the
solution is equals to the moles of base added in the titration. For instance, the amounts of 1 mole
of the strong base, sodium hydroxide (NaOH) neutralize 1 mole of the weak acid (CH3CO2H)
which is referring to equation 1,

NaOH (aq) + CH3CO2H (aq) NaCH3CO2 (aq) + H20 (l) (Equation 1)

The equivalence point has reached when there is a sudden change in the pH of the solution. pH is
defined as a measure of hydrogen ion concentration which measures the acidity or alkalinity of a
solution. Aqueous solutions at 25C with a pH less than seven are acidic, while those with a pH
greater than seven are basic or alkaline. A pH level of is 7.0 at 25C is neutral because the
concentration of H3O+ equals the concentration of OH in pure water. Thus, the equation to
calculate pH:

pH = -log[H+] (Equation 2)

However, in this experiment pH electrode will be used. At the first place, the pH electrode will
be used by inserting into a beaker that contains acid solution with the range of pH 3-5. Then,
when the sodium hydroxide, NaOH is continuously added to the acid solution, few of the
hydrogen ions will be neutralized. When the concentration hydrogen ion decreases, the pH of the
solution will slowly increase. As plenty NaOH is added to completely neutralize the acid which
almost all of H3O+ ions removed from the solution, then the next drop of NaOH will be added
and cause immediately sharp rises in pH. Thus, the volume of based that entirely neutralized the
acid determine at the equivalence point of titration.

Figure 1.2: pH titration curve of weak acid (CH3COOH) and strong base (NaOH)
For this experiment, titration of vinegar sample with a standardized sodium hydroxide solution
will be carrying out. At first, standardize of sodium hydroxide solution of a primary standard
acid solution is prepared. The primary standard solution is known as high purity which may be
dissolved in a known volume of solvent to give a primary standard solution. Examples common
of standard acid and bases are potassium hydrogen phthalate KHC8H4O4 and sodium carbonate,
Na2CO3 respectively. The most available primary standard acids and bases are for instance
hydrochloric acid, HCl and sodium hydroxide, NaOH. However, in order to standardize the acids
and based solutions, titration of the solution with a primary standard needs to carry out. From
this experiment, the NaOH solution will be titrated with potassium hydrogen phthalate (KHP).
Thus, the equation that gives for this reaction is:

KHC8H4O4 (aq) + NaOH (aq) KNaC8H4O4 (aq) + H20 (l) (Equation 3)

Then, when the sodium hydroxide solution standardizes, 10.00 mL of vinegar will used with
NaOH which gives an equation of:

CH3COOH (aq) + NaOH NaCH3COO (aq) + H20 (l) (Equation 4)

By using this equation 6, the value of standardized NaOH concentration can be known and from
here the molarity and percent by mass of acetic acid in the vinegar solution can be determine.
Figure 2: Titration curve of KHP titrated with NaOH. The volume of NaOH used at the
equivalence point is 12.80 mL of NaOH.

Objectives: To determine the molarity of a solution and the percent by mass of acetic acid in
vinegar by titration with the standardized sodium hydroxide solution.

Materials and Equipment:

0.6 M sodium hydroxide (NaOH), 250 mL beaker, 10 mL volumetric pipette, potassium

hydrogen phthalate solution KHP (KHC8H4O4), vinegar, distilled water, weighing scale, pH
electrode.

Methods:

Standardization of sodium hydroxide solution

1. 250 mL of approximately 0.6 M sodium hydroxide solution from NaOH solid was prepared.
The solution was prepared in a beaker, and the calculation was checked by the laboratory
instructor for preparing the solution. The calculation was recorded.

2. A 250 mL beaker was weighed and the mass was recorded to the nearest 0.001g. Then, 1.5
grams of KHP was added to the beaker. The mass of the beaker and KHP was recorded to the
nearest 0.001 g. The mass of KHP by difference was calculated and the data was recorded. Next,
30mL of distilled water was added to the beaker. The solution was stirred until the KHP had
dissolved completely.

3. This solution was titrated with NaOH and the pH with 1 mL additions of NaOH solution was
recorded.

4. Steps 1 to 3 to perform a second and third trial to standardize the NaOH solution was repeated.

5. The graph of pH versus NaOH was plotted. From the plots, the volume of NaOH required
neutralizing the KHP solution in each titration was determined.

6. The molarity of sodium hydroxide for titration 1 and 2 was calculated.

7. The average molarity of sodium hydroxide solution for titration 1 and 2 was calculated. The
resulting sodium hydroxide concentration was used in part B of the experiment.
Molarity of acetic acid and percent of vinegar

1. 10.00 mL of vinegar was transferred to a cleaned, dry 250 mL beaker by using a 10 mL

volumetric pipette. The sufficient water was added from 75 to 100 mL that was to covered the
pH electrode tip during the titration.

2. 1 mL of NaOH was added to the vinegar solution and the pH was recorded.

3. The above steps was repeated again.

4. The graph of pH vs volume NaOH added was plotted. From the plots, the volume of NaOH
required to neutralized vinegar in each titration was determined. The data was recorded.

5. The molarity of acetic acid in vinegar for titration 1, 2 and 3 was calculated.

6. The average molarity of acetic acid for each titration was calculated.

7. The percent by mass of acetic acid in vinegar for titration 1, titration 2 and titration 3 was
calculated.

8. The percent by mass of acetic acid in vinegar was calculated.

Results:

Standardization of sodium hydroxide solution

Titration II Titration II Titration III

Mass of KHP (g) 1.500 1.504 1.500

Volume of NaOH
to neutralize the 12.80 12.83 12.80
KHP solution (mL)
Calculations:

KHP Titrated with NaOH

11

12.80 mL NaOH at
9 the equivalence point
pH

3
0 5 10 15 20
mL of NaOH

Titration I

Molarity of sodium hydroxide (NaOH) for titration 1

The moles of KHP used in the titration

1 844
1.500 g KHC8H4O4 x 1 mol = 0.007346 mol KHC8H4O4
204.2 844

From equation 5, the moles of NaOH required neutralizing the moles of KHP.
1
0.007346 mol KHP x = 0.007346 mol NaOH
1

The molarity of the NaOH solution

1
12.80 mL of NaOH x 1000 = 0.0128
 0.007346
M = = = 0.5740 M NaOH
0.0128

Titration II

KHP Titrated with NaOH (II)

11
12.83 mL NaOH
9
at the equivalence point
pH

3
0 5 10 15 20
mL of NaOH

Molarity of sodium hydroxide (NaOH) for titration II

The moles of KHP used in the titration

1 844
1.504 KHC8H4O4 x = 0.007365 mol KHC8H4O4
204.2 844

From equation 5, the moles of NaOH required neutralizing the moles of KHP.
1
0.007365 mol KHP x = 0.007365
1

The molarity of NaOH solution

1
12.83 mL NaOH x 1000 0.01283
 0.007365
M = = = 0.5740 M NaOH
0.01283

Titration III

12.70 mL NaOH at
the equivalence
point

Molarity of sodium hydroxide (NaOH) solution for titration III

The moles of KHP used in the titration

1 844
1.500 g KHC8H4O4 x 1 mol = 0.007346 mol KHC8H4O4
204.2 844

From equation 5, the moles of NaOH required neutralizing the moles of KHP.
1
0.007346 mol KHP x = 0.007346 mol NaOH
1

The molarity of NaOH solution

1
12.70 mL NaOH x 1000 = 0.0127
 0.007346
M = = = 0.5784
0.0127

Average molarity sodium hydroxide solutions for titration I, titration II and titration III:
0.5740+0.5740+0.5784
= 0.5742 M
3

ii. Standardization of sodium hydroxide solution for acetic acids

Titration I Titration II

Volume of NaOH 10.20 8.50

required to neutralize
vinegar (mL)
 Titration I

i. The moles of NaOH that reacted

1
10.20 mL NaOH x = 0.0102
1000

0.5742
0.0102 L NaOH x 1 = 0.005857 mol NaOH

The moles of CH3COOH neutralized by the moles of NaOH

1 3
0.005857 mol NaOH x = 0.005857 mol NaOH
1

The molarity of the CH3COOH solution

1
10 mL CH3COOH x 1000 = 0.010 3

3 0.005857 3 0.5857 3
M= = = = 0.5857 3
0.01
ii. The mass of acetic acid in the solution
1
10 mL CH3COOH x 1000 = 0.010 3

0.5857 3 60.0 3
0.01 L CH3COOH x = 0.3518 g CH3COOH
1 1 3

The mass of acetic acid in the solution

1 3
10 mL CH3COOH solution x 1 3 = 10.00 g CH3COOH solution

iii. The percent by mass of acetic acid in vinegar for titration I

0.3518 3
Percent mass CH3COOH = 100 % = 3.518 % 3
10.00 3

Titration II

i. The moles of NaOH that reacted

1
8.50 mL NaOH x 1000 = 0.0085 L NaOH
 0.5742
0.0085 L NaOH x 1 = 0.004881

The moles of CH3COOH neutralized by the moles of NaOH

1 3
0.004881 mol NaOH x = 0.004881
1

The molarity of the CH3COOH solution

1
10 mL CH3COOH x 1000 = 0.010 3

3 0.004881 3 0.4881 3
Molarity, M = = = = 0.4881 3
0.01

ii. The mass of acetic acid in the solution

1
10 mL CH3COOH x 1000 = 0.010 3

0.4881 3 60.06 300

0.010 L CH3COOH x = 0.2932 g CH3COOH
1 1 3

The mass of acetic acid in the solution

1 3
10 mL CH3COOH solution x 1 3 = 10.00 3

iii. The percent by mass of acetic acid in vinegar for titration II

0.2932 3
Percent mass CH3COOH = 100% = 2.932% 3
10.00

iv. Average molarity of acetic acid in vinegar for titration I and titration II
0.5857+0.4881
= 0.5369 M
2

v. Average percent by mass of acetic acid in vinegar for titration I and titration I
3.518+2.932
= 3.225 % CH3COOH
2
Discussion

To begin with, for titration I of potassium hydrogen phthalate, KHC8H4O4 with sodium
hydroxide solution, initially the pH values gives from the range of pH 3.70 until it reaches to the
pH 6.23. Initially, at this point it had shown that this range of values of solution is acidic.
However, the pH values started to change suddenly which increases up to pH 10.49. This is
because as sodium hydroxide, NaOH is kept on adding into the acid solution, some of the
hydrogen ions will be neutralized. Then, as the hydrogen ions concentration decreases, the pH of
the solution will gradually increase. When there is enough of sodium hydroxide, NaOH that had
been added completely to neutralize the acid, most of the hydronium ions, H30+ had removed
from the solution. The next drop of sodium hydroxide, NaOH that was added caused a sudden
change of pH values. The sudden changed of pH values told that the equivalence point had
reached. Thus, the volume of sodium hydroxide, NaOH neutralized the potassium hydrogen
phthalate, KHC8H4O4 solution is 12.80 mL. At this range area of pH values it had shown that
the solution is basic. Then, the pH values increases up until pH 11.54. Next, for titration II,
initially the pH values started slightly lower which gives pH 3.62 compared in this first titration I
which starts of the pH 3.70. Then, the pH values started to change at pH 10.55 whereby in
titration I the sudden change of pH is slight lower which gives pH 10.49. This had shown that the
equivalence point had reached. Thus, the volume of sodium hydroxide, NaOH neutralized the
potassium hydrogen phthalate, KHC8H4O4 solution is 12.60 mL. Then, the pH values increases
up until pH 11.50. Furthermore, based on the results of titration III, the pH values begins at pH
3.67, which is the range of pH 3.62 - 3.70 when compared to the initial starts of pH titration I and
titration II. Then, the pH values started to change at pH 10.36 which also gives the range of pH
10.49 10.55 when compared the sudden change pH of titration I and titration II. At this point, it
had shown that the equivalence point had reached. Thus, the volume of sodium hydroxide,
NaOH neutralized the potassium hydrogen phthalate, KHC8H4O4 solution is 12.70 mL. Then,
the pH values increases up until pH 11.47. To conclude in this first section of titration of
potassium hydrogen phthalate, KHC8H4O4 with sodium hydroxide solution, the average
molarity of sodium hydroxide solution, NaOH is 0.5742 M.

Next based on second section, acetic acid, CH3COOH which is a weak acid had been used and
titrated with sodium hydroxide solution, NaOH. This titration method had been done twice. To
begin with, in titration I the pH values initially started at pH 2.23. As it can see that when the
acetic acid, CH3COOH had been used in titration, it gives a lower value of pH compared when
potassium hydrogen phthalate, KHC8H4O4 that was used in section one. However, there is a
sudden change of pH values at pH 10.62. At this point, it had shown that the equivalence point
had reached. Thus, the volume of sodium hydroxide, NaOH neutralized the acetic acid,
CH3COOH is 10.20 mL. Then, the pH values increases up until pH 11.61. The mass percentage
that gives for the first titration is 3.518 %.
Beside in titration II, the pH values started at pH 2.47 which is slightly higher compared to pH
2.23 in titration I where it initially started. Next, the pH started to change at pH 10.90 whereby in
titration I the pH started to change at pH 10.62. At this point, it had shown that the equivalence
point had reached. Thus, the volume of sodium hydroxide, NaOH neutralized the acetic acid,
CH3COOH is 8.50 mL. Then, the pH values increases up until pH 11.65. The mass percent that
gives for the second titration is 2.932%. Therefore, to conclude the average molarity of acetic
acid in titration I and titration II is 0.5369 M and the average percent by mass of acetic acid in
vinegar is 3.225 %.

In this experiment, there are a few precautions that should follow to avoid errors during
experiment. Firstly, make sure rinse the equipment with distilled water that are used in
experiments such as beakers, volumetric pipettes, pH electrodes before carrying out the
experiments. Secondly to avoid parallax errors during the experiment, make sure both eyes level
is perpendicularly to the scale reading so that a correct reading can be obtained when measuring
the volumetric pipette.

Conclusion

To conclude, in standardizing the NaOH solution, 250 mL of distilled water is used to dilute
approximately 6 g of NaOH solid in order to prepare 0.6 M NaOH solution. This NaOH solution
is then titrated with potassium hydrogen phthalate, KHP solution which has been prepared by
diluting 1.5 g of KHP granules in 30mL of distilled water. Afterwards, the second section was
carried out to standardized NaOH solution that was titrated with 10 mL vinegar and has been
diluted with 100 mL of distilled water. Therefore the average molarity of sodium hydroxide
solution for first section is 0.5742 M and the average molarity for second section with 10 mL
vinegar is 0.5369 M. The percent by mass of acetic acid in vinegar is 3.225 %.
Recommendations
References

http://chemed.chem.purdue.edu/genchem/lab/techniques/titration/what.html

http://www.citationmachine.net/apa/cite-a-website/manual

https://www.dartmouth.edu/~chemlab/techniques/titration.html

https://www.thoughtco.com/definition-of-ph-in-chemistry-604605

http://www.odinity.com/acetic-acid-content-vinegar/

https://www.scribd.com/doc/86725525/Determination-of-the-Concentration-of-Acetic-Acid-in-
Vinegar