Research Question

What is the concentration of the given sample of Sodium hydroxide (NaOH), in mol dm-3, to be
determined by titration of Hydrogen chlorine (HCl), in mol dm-3, with known concentration?

Raw Data

The observations and the data collected during the experimental procedure are shown in the

following tables, labeled as Table-1, Table-2, and Table-3.

Table-1, Table for Qualitative Observations

Qualitative Data

Before Reaction The solution of NaOH with unknown

concentration and Fenoflalein was pink

After Reaction The solution of NaOh with unknown

concentration, Fenolftalein, and HCl with 0.1

mol dm-3 was colorless.

Table-2, Table for the Milliliters of HCl Used

Trial 1 Trial 2 Trial 3 Trial 4 Trial 5 Trial 6

Initial (0) 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0

mL HCl
added
(±0.1)

5 mL of 5.0 5.0 5.0 5.0 5.0 5.0

HCl added
(±0.1)

mL of HCl 11.7 11.6 13.2 11.7 12.5 13.0

used when
the color
 change
happened
(±0.1)

3 mL HCL 14.8 14.1 16.4 14.7 15.5 16.0

added after
the color
change
happened
(±0.1)

Table-3, Table for pH Values at Different Milliliters

Trial 1 Trial 2 Trial 3 Trial 4 Trial 5 Trial 6

Initial pH 13.01 12.95 13.11 12.92 13.32 13.01

value
measured
(±0.01)

pH value 12.55 12.63 12.77 12.51 12.79 12.83

measured
at addition
of 5 mL of
HCl
(±0.01)

pH value 7.86 7.32 6.23 6.75 7.95 8.90

measured
after the
color
change
(±0.01)

pH value 2.61 3.11 2.86 2.55 2.99 3.11

measured
after the
addition of
3 mL of
HCl
(±0.01)
Processed Data

Calculation of taking averages for both HCl used and the pH values were done with the

following formula:

(ΣEach Trial)/(Number of Trials)

For example, for the average of initial mL HCl added was calculated as:

(0.0+0.0+0.0+0.0+0.0+0.0)/6=0.0

Calculation of the uncertainties was done for both HCl used and the pH values were done with

the following formula:

(ΣUncertainty of Each Trial)/Number of Trials

For example, for the uncertainty of the average of initial mL HCl added was calculated as:

(0.1+0.1+0.1+0.1+0.1)6=0.1

Hence, the uncertainty of the average of initial mL HCl added was found as ±0.1.

Table-4, Table for Average Values of mL of HCl Added

Average of Initial (0) Average of 5 mL of Average of mL of HCl Average of 3 mL HCL
mL HCl added HCl added used when the color added after the color
(±0.1) (±0.1) change happened change happened
(±0.1) (±0.1)

0.0 5.0 12.3 15.3

Table-5, Table for Average Values of pH Measured

Average of initial pH Average of pH value Average of pH value Average of pH value
value measured measured at addition measured after the measured after the
(±0.01) of 5 mL of HCl color change addition of 3 mL of
(±0.01) (±0.01) HCl
(±0.01)

13.05 12.68 7.50 2.87

 Graphs

Graph-1, Graph of pH Values vs mL of HCl Added

The graph above, Graph-1, shows the titration curve of the experiment done. This curve is not

the expected titration curve as the curve has been expected to be perpendicular when the

reaction has been completed, which might be a cause of error during the calculation of the

concentration of HCl used (“Titration curves”). The unexpected results of the titration curve have

been caused due to the insufficient amount of data taken during the experimental procedure.

Data Analysis

This titration curve was found for the reaction between NaOH and HCl, which are a strong base

and a strong acid (“Strong and Weak Acids and Bases”). Therefore, the naturalization should

have occurred completely at the equivalence point, which is 7 pH for strong base and strong

acids (Kaur). Through the point read from the titration curve found, Graph-1, the naturalization
reaction happened when 12.5 mL of HCl with 0.100 mol dm-3 concentration was added to the

solution of NaOH with unknown concentration and phenolphthalein.

The equation of the naturalization reaction as follows:

NaOH(aq) + HCl(aq) —> NaCl(aq) + H2O(l)

As the concentration of HCl, 0.100 mol dm-3, and the volume of NaOH used, 25.0 mL, is known,

and through the experiment, the volume of HCl that should be added to naturalization reaction

to occur is known, which is 12.5 mL, through the reading done on the Graph-1. As the

stoichiometric ratio is 1:1, the mol of HCl used should be equal to the mol of NaOH used.

Therefore, to find the concentration of NaOH used, the following formula will be used:

c1×v1 = c2×v2 (Bylikin, 75)

Where c is the concentration and v is the volume used.

As 1 mL is equal to 1 cm3 (Sexton), the volume of NaOH will be 25.0 cm3 and the volume of HCl

used will be 12.5 cm3. Putting the known values in to the equation given will be as follows:

0.100×12.5 = cNaOH×25.0

Where cNaOH is the unknown concentration of NaOH used in mol dm-3.

Arranging this equation:

cNaOH = (0.100×12.5)/25.0

cNaOH = 0.05 mol dm-3

Finding the concentration of NaOH as 0.05 mol dm-3.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the research question ‘What is the concentration of the given sample of Sodium

chlorine (NaOH), in mol dm-3, to be determined by titration of Hydrogen chlorine (HCl), in mol
dm-3, with known concentration?’, was answered as 0.05 mol dm-3 for 25.0 mL of Sodium

hydroxide and 0.100 mol dm-3 of hydrogen chlorine.

As the reactants used during the experiment were a strong acid and a strong base (“Strong and

Weak Acids and Bases”), the equivalence point was expected to be reached when the pH has

reached 7 and go through a neutralization reaction (Kaur). Therefore, through a titration curve,

Graph-1, the point where the curve took the value of 7 for pH was used to determine the

concentration of the Sodium hydroxide (NaOH), which was equal to 12.5 cm3 of hydrogen

chlorine used (“Titration curves”). With the finding of the volume of hydrogen chloride needed to

neutralize the reaction, the formula of ‘c1×v1 = c2×v2’ (Bylikin, 75), where c is the concentration

of reactants and v is the volume of the reactants used, was used to find the concentration of

Sodium hydroxide, which was 0.05 mol dm-3.

As for the anomalies, the titration curve found, Graph-1, the line where the reaction was about

to finish was expected to be perpendicular to x-axis, mL of HCl used, or with a small slope;

however, the line had more elevation than the litararical graphs , which might have caused an

error in the calculations in the Data Analysis part, and potentially lead to an incorrect answer for

the research question (“Titration curves”). Additionally, the curves on the both beginning and

ending of the curve in the Graph-1 are not as sharp as the literarical graphs for strong acid and

strong base reactions (“pH curves”). All of the anomalies were expected to be caused due to the

insufficient collection of data during the experiment, and foreseen to observe an accurate

titration curve if more data had been collected.

Evaluation

Strengths

The usage of the data logger to measure the value of pH is a great strength of this experiment

as it has higher precision and enables a space to avoid parallax while reading the pH. The

environment where the experiment took place had the standard conditions, thereby, was able to

avoid any encounter of sudden change in the environmental conditions, such as temperature

and pressure of the solution. Additionally, the experiment done was repeatable. Due to this the

errors which were made mostly, could be fixed in another trial.

Limitations and Improvements

Limitation of Weakness Effect on the Result Suggestion to Improve

Insufficient collection of data. The titration curve found was More rapidly measure the pH
not according to the literary of the experiment to collect
and showcased differences data, such as in every 2 mL,
from the literary. It could measure the pH of the
potentially affect the result of solution.
the calculations done.

The rate of the hydrogen As the rate of dripping was The knobs that drip without
chloride (HCl) solution not constant, the liquid did the control of the
dropping from the burette not enter the reaction experimenter should be
was not constant, and altered uniformly, which led to further avoided as this case has
through the process, resulting accuracies in the process of happened in some of the
in HCl to enter the reaction titration as the exact value trials. Also a tighter knob
non-uniformly. where the reactants enter the could be used to manipulate
neutralization reaction cannot the rate of dripping more
be captured. precisely.

The phenolphthalein used to The indicator used, Rather that adding an

see the reaction had occurred phenolphthalein, is a weak indicator, the pH probe could
or not affected the pH value acid (“Phenolphthalein”), have constantly measuring
of the solution. therefore it may have affected the solution, with the rule of
the pH of the solutions the titrant would not touch the
measured and led to small pH probe. This could also
inaccuracies in the help to rapidly measure the
calculations pH to collect data.
 Some of the droplets of both The droplets moved on to the As this was a random error, it
HCl and NaOH were stuck to solution by time, which led to could be avoided by more
the glassware used during small inaccuracies in the attention and accuray;
the experiment. collection of data. however, this error was
minimized through taking the
averages of the values found.

Suggestions for Further Investigation

This experiment was not deep enough as the experiment just focused on finding the
concentration of Sodium hydroxide with the given information of volume of Sodium hydroxide
and the concentration of hydrogen chloride. To deepen the investigation, the thermal properties
of the reaction could be investigated. Additionally, to deepen the investigation, the most efficient
value to maximize the products, which are water (H2O) and Sodium chloride (NaCl), while
minimizing the reactants, which are hydrogen chlorine (HCl) and Sodium hydroxide (NaOH),
used could be found through the titration method, which would focus on minimizing the wastage.
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