pH Measurement and Acid Base Titration Curves

Introduction:

In this Experiment, we have to find the effect of Acid and Base strength on the shape of a
titration curve. In this experiment we measure the pH of an Acid-Base Titration solution using a
pH sensor or pH meter and Volume of the base solution can also be measured by this method, as
they generate a Titration curve using a computer.

→ Titration Setup

This experiment can be done by understanding the following terms:

1. Molarity and Normality:

Molarity is actually the concentration unit, can be expressed as the Number of Moles
of solute per liter of Solution. It can also be expressed as the amount of Substance of Solute per
Unit Volume of a Solution.
 Molarity is generally expressed in units of mol/liter.

Mathematically, Molarity can be expressed as;

𝑛 𝑁 𝐶
𝑐 = 𝑉 = 𝑁𝐴.𝑉 = 𝑁𝐴

Where, n=Number of Moles of Solute

V=Volume of Solution

NA= Avogadro’s Number

While Normality is also the concentration unit and expressed in Equivalent

Concentration of a solution. Normality is a calculation of the concentration equal to the gram
weight per liter of solution. Gram Equivalent Weight is the measure of the reactive capacity of a
molecule.

2. pH:

pH of a solution is the measure of the molar concentration of the Hydrogen ions in the
solution and as such is a measure of the Acidity or Basicity of the Solution or can also be expressed
as a measure of the acidic or basic nature of a solution. The pH scale ranges from 0 to 14, the most
acidic has the pH value of 0, pH value of 7 is for Neutral and pH value of 14 is for Most Alkaline.

3. Titration:

Titration is a method used where the solution of Non-concentration is used to

determine the concentration of an unknown solution. Titration can also be expressed as a method
or process of determining the concentration of a dissolved substance in terms of the smallest
amount of reagent of known concentration required to bring about a given effect in reaction with
a known volume of the test solution.

The Basic Principle of Titration is referred as:” a solution so called titrant or standard
solution is added to sample to be analyzed. Titrant used to calculate the known concentration of a
chemical which interacts with the substance to be calculated.”
 4. Neutralization Process:

The neutralization process is a chemical reaction in which an acid and a base

react quantitatively with one another. In a reaction in water, neutralization will result in no excess
of hydrogen or hydroxide ions in the solution. The pH of the neutralized solution depends on the
acidity of the reactants. Neutralization is used in many applications.
In the context of a chemical reaction, the term neutralization is used for a reaction between
an acid and a base or an alkali. Historically, this reaction was presented as

𝐴𝑐𝑖𝑑 + 𝐵𝑎𝑠𝑒 → 𝑆𝑎𝑙𝑡 + 𝑊𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑟

For Example,

𝑁𝑎𝑂𝐻 + 𝐻𝐶𝑙 → 𝑁𝑎𝐶𝑙 + 𝐻2𝑂

5. Equivalence Point vs End Point:

The equivalence point is the point at which the molar amount of acid corresponds
directly to the molar amount of the base. At a pH compared to the molarity of acid addition to a
base, this is the inflection point. An endpoint is indicated by an indicator. By contrast, an
equivalence point is when the moles of the titrant match the analyte.

Endpoint and equivalence point are the two most important concepts in chemical
titrations. The technique of titration can occur in redox reactions, acid-base reactions and many
other reactions. It was used predominantly in acid-base reactions in which another solution was
neutralized with the other to determine the unknown concentration. Basically, a standard solution
of known concentration was carefully poured into another solution, the analyte of unknown
concentration, to calculate its concentration.

Equivalence point means that the titrant has completely reacted with the analyte, while
the end point signals completion of the titration. Endpoint and equivalence can occur
simultaneously if the pH of the titrant equals the pH at the equivalence point.

Equation of Disassociation of Acids in Water:

 Acids and bases dissolve in water and, as they increase the concentration of one of the
water's self-ionization products (either protons or hydroxide ions), suppress water dissociation.
For each acid, Ka is the equilibrium constant for the acid dissociation reaction in water.

For Example:

1. Acetic Acid:

𝑪𝑯𝟑 𝑪𝑶𝑶𝑯 + 𝑯𝟐 𝑶 → 𝑪𝑯𝟑 𝑪𝑶𝑶− + 𝑯𝟑 𝑶+

2. Nitric acid:

𝑯𝑵𝑶𝟑 + 𝑯𝟐 𝑶 → 𝑵𝑶𝟑 − + 𝑯𝟑 𝑶+

Conclusion:
The first part of the overall goal was achieved by buffering the unknown solution.
The second part of the target was also achieved because the pKa (s) and molecular weight of the
unknown acid were calculated and the unknown identified. To examine that the unknown solution
was buffered, then the initial pH is calculated before adding a strong base and strong acid to a
solution in two separate cylinders, monitoring the slight pH change. The approach to the second
part of the experiment was to titrate an unknown acid with a non-concentration of the strong base,
NaOH. The determination of the equivalence point at which the moles of NaOH were
stoichiometrically equal to moles allowed the calculation of the molecular weight of the unknown
acid.