Abstract

The Arrhenius definition defines acids as substances that increase the concentration of
hydrogen ions (H+) when dissolved in water while base is defined as substances that produce
hydroxide ions (OH) in an aqueous solution. In this experiment, a technique known as a
titration will be used to determine the concentration of acetic acid in vinegar. The
concentration of acetic acid in vinegar can be determined when the equivalence point
between NaOH solution and acetic acid is achieved. At the end of experiment, the molarity of
acetic acid is 0.458 M and its mass percentage is 2.7485%.

Introduction

Vinegar is a dilute solution of acetic acid. The molecular formula for acetic acid is
CH3COOH. In this experiment, vinegar is used to determine the molar concentration of acetic
acid by titrating it with a standard solution of NaOH.

Titration is a process in which slow addition of one solution of a known concentration to a

known volume of another solution of unknown concentration until the stoichiometry for the
reaction is attained. The purpose of titration is to determine the equivalence point of the
reaction. The equivalence point is reach when the added quantity of one reactant is the exact
amount necessary for stoichiometric reaction with another reactant.

CH3COOH(aq) + NaOH(aq) CH3COONa(aq) + H2O(l)

By adding the sodium hydroxide, which is a basic solution gradually in small amounts from a
burette to the acetic acid, which is an acidic solution, a neutralization reaction will occurs.
Burette is a device that allows the precise delivery of a specific volume of a solution. The

amount of NaOH used to standardize the vinegar can then be used to determine the molarity
and percentage by mass of acetic acid in the vinegar.

Objectives

The objectives of this experiment are 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

Theory
A burette is a device that allows the precise delivery of a specific volume of a solution. A
typical burette has the smallest calibration unit of 0.1mL. Therefore, volume dispense from
the burette should be estimated to the nearest 0.01mL. The 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 NaOH is required. This is called
the equivalence point of the titration.
NaOH (aq) + CH3COOH(aq)

NaCH3COO (aq) + H2O (l)

In this experiment, acid and base react, forming salt and water (neutral) .
Acid + base

salt + water

In order to express the acidity or basicity, pH scale method is used. The pH value determine
either the solution is basic or acidic, solutions having a pH < 7 are acidic , pH = 7 are neutral
while pH > 7 are basic. Also pH electrode will be used in this experiment. When a pH
electrode is inserting into a beaker containing the acid solution (pH within 3-5), the titration
is initiated.. Some of the hydrogen ions will be neutralized as sodium hydroxide, NaOH, is
incrementally added to the acid solution. When the concentration of hydrogen ion decreases,
the pH of the solution will increase gradually. A sudden sharp increase in pH will occur when
the next drop of NaOH is added after a sufficient NaOH is added to completely neutralize the
acid (most of the H3O+ ions are removed from the solution). The equivalence point of
titration is used to determine the volume of based required to completely neutralized the acid.

Procedures

A. Standardization of sodium hydroxide solution

1. Sodium hydroxide solution of 250 ml of approximately 0.6M was prepared from
NaOH solid. The solution was prepared in a beaker and the calculations were checked
by the laboratory instructor prior to preparing the solution. The calculation then was
recorded.
2. A 250 ml beaker was weighed and the mass was recorded to the nearest 0.001g. 1.5
grams of KHP was added to the beaker and the mass of both KHP and the beaker was
recorded to the nearest 0.001 g. the mass of KHP was calculated by thedifference
recorded in the data. Distilled water of 30 ml was added to the beaker and the solution
was stirred until the KHP dissolved completely.
3. This solution was titrated with NaOH and the pH value were recorded with 1 ml
additions of NaOH solution.
4. Steps 1 to 3 were repeated to perform a second and third trial to standardize the NaOH
solution.
5. The graph of pH versus NaOH was plotted and from the plots, the volume of NaOH
required to neutralize the KHP solution in each titration were determined.
6. The molarity of sodium hydroxide for titration 1 and 2 were calculated.
7. The average molarity of sodium hydroxide solution for titration 1 and 2 were
calculated. The resulting sodium hydroxide concentration were used in part B of the
experiment.

B. Molarity of acetic acid and percent of vinegar

1. Vinegar of 10.00 ml was transferred to a clean, dry 250 ml beaker using a 10 ml

volumetric pipette. Sufficient water of 75 to 100 ml was added to cover 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 were repeated twice.
4. The graph of pH versus volume of NaOH added were plotted and from the plots, the
volume of NaOH required to neutralized vinegar in each titration were determined.
The data was recorded.
5. The molarity of acetic acid in vinegar for titration 1 and 2 werecalculated.
6. The average molarity of acetic acid for each titration were calculated.
7. The percent by mass of acetic acid in vinegar for titration 1 and 2 were calculated.
8. The percent by mass of acetic acid in vinegar was calculated.

Apparatus and Materials

0.6 M sodium hydroxide solid

1.5 g KHP
Water
30 ml distilled water
10 ml volumetric pipette
Burette
pH meter

stirrer bar
analytical balance
250 ml beaker
10 ml vinegar

Results and Calculations

A. Standardization of sodium hydroxide solution

Volume of NaOH (ml)

Titration 1

Titration 2

Average

1
2

4.08
4.31

4.22
4.52

4.15
4.42

3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12

4.57
4.77
4.93
5.09
5.28
5.39
5.62
5.94
6.64
12.08

4.67
4.8
4.95
5.08
5.22
5.38
5.57
5.88
6.53
12.12

4.62
4.79
4.94
5.09
5.25
5.39
5.6
5.91
6.59
12.1

1. Preparation of 150 ml of approximately 0.6M sodium hydroxide solution.

Molarity of NaOH = 0.6M
Volume = 250 ml
No of mole =

MV
1000
0.6(250)
1000

= 0.15 mol
Mass = no of mol molar mass
= 0.15 (23+16+1)
=6g

Titration 1

Titration 2

Mass of beaker (g)

114.096

112.214

Mass of beaker + KHP (g)

115.653

113.722

1.557

1.508

11.25

11.25

2.

Mass of KHP (g)

Volume of NaOH to
neutralize the KHP
solution (mL)

3. Calculation for molarity of sodium hydroxide for titration 1 and 2:

Titration 1:
Mol KHP =

mass KHP
Molar mass
1.557
204.2
3

= 7.62 10

mol

1 mol KHP 1 mol NaOH

3

7.62 10

mol KHP 7.62 10

Molarity of NaOH =

mol of solute
volume of solution
7.62 103
0.01125

= 0.677 M

Titration 2:
Mol KHP =

mass KHP
Molar mass
1.508
204.2

mol NaOH

3
= 7.38 10
mol

1 mol KHP 1 mol NaOH

7.38 103 mol KHP 7.38 103 mol NaOH
mol of solute
volume of solution

Molarity of NaOH =

7.38 103
0.01125

= 0.656 M
4. Calculation for average molarity of sodium hydroxide for titration 1 and 2:
Average molarity =

molarity for titration 1+molarity for titration2

2

0.677+0.656
2

= 0.667 M

B. Standardization of sodium hydroxide solution

Volume of NaOH

Titration 1

Titration 2

Average

0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8

2.85
3.73
4.11
4.36
4.6
4.83
5.03
5.48
9.41

2.8
3.6
4.09
4.11
4.56
4.93
5.03
5.46
7.8

2.83
3.67
4.1
4.24
4.58
4.88
5.03
5.47
8.61

1.

Titration 1

Titration 2

7.62

7.65

Volume of NaOH
required to neutralize
vinegar (mL)

2. Calculation for molarity of acetic acid in vinegar for titration 1 and 2:

Titration 1:
Volume of vinegar solution = 10 ml
Volume of NaOH = 7.62 ml

Mol of NaOH = MV
= 0.6 0.00762
= 0.004572 mol

1 mol NaOH 1 mol

CH 3 COOH
mol CH 3 COOH

4.572 103 mol NaOH 4.572 103

Molarity of acetic acid =

mol of solute
volume of solution

4.572 103
0.01

= 0.457 M

Titration 2:
Volume of vinegar solution = 10 ml
Volume of NaOH = 7.65 ml

Mol of NaOH = MV
= 0.6 0.00765
= 0.00459 mol
1 mol NaOH 1 mol
4.59 103

CH 3 COOH

3
mol NaOH 4.59 10

Molarity of acetic acid =

mol of solute
volume of solution

4.59 103
0.01

= 0.459 M

mol CH 3 COOH

3. Calculation for average molarity of acetic acid for titration 1 and 2:

Average molarity =

molarity for titration 1+molarity for titration 2

2

0.457+0.459
2

= 0.458 M

4. Calculation for percentage by mass of acetic acid in vinegar for titration 1 and 2:

Titration 1:
mol of CH 3 COOH =4.572 103 mol

Mass of

CH 3 COOH

= no of mol molar mass

3
= 4.572 10 60

= 0.27432 g
Percentage by mass =

0.27432
100
10

= 2.7432%

Titration 2:
3

mol of CH 3 COOH =4.59 10

Mass of

CH 3 COOH

mol

= no of mol molar mass

3
= 4.59 10 60

= 0.2754 g
Percentage by mass =

0.2754
100
10

= 2.754%

5. Calculation for average percent by mass of acetic acid in vinegar:

Average % by mass =
average by mass for titration 1+average by mass for titration 2
2

2.743+ 2.754
2

= 2.7485%

Discussion

This experiment is carried out in order to determine the molarity of a solution and the
percentage by mass of acetic acid in vinegar by titrating standardized sodium hydroxide
solution, NaOH with the acetic acid. In part A of the experiment, 11.25 ml of NaOH was used
to titrate the potassium hydrogen phthalate, KHP. The titration process was repeated twice in
order to get an average reading of NaOH solution used. The molarity of the NaOH used is 0.6
M and the volume obtained from both of the trial is 11.25 ml. Equivalence point can be
attained when the pH value is equal to 7. Thus, the average molarity of NaOH after it has
been standardized was 0.667 M.
In part B, 0.004572 mol of NaOH is required to react with 0.004572 mol of

CH 3 COOH

for the first trial while for the second trial, 0.00459 mol is required to react with 0.00459 mol
of

CH 3 COOH

. The molarity for first and second trial are 0.457 M and 0.459 M

respectively. The average molarity of the acetic acid is 0.0458 M. The percentage by mass of
acetic acid in 10 g of vinegar for both trial are 2.74% and 2.75%, making the average
percentage by mass is 2.7485%.

Conclusions

As a conclusion, the molarity of acetic acid in a sample of vinegar is 0.458 M and its
percentage of mass is 2.75%. the value obtained in this experiment is not the same with the
theoretical value due to some errors that occurred during the experiment.

Recommendations

There are many factors that have contributed in causing error in the results of this
experiment. One major factor that affected the result of this experiment was the strength of
the sodium hydroxide. If either of these substances is left open in the atmosphere, they begin
to lose their strength. During the experiment, the sodium and sodium hydroxide were both
left open to interact with the environment for some time. Thus, the final answer did not
match the theoretical value accurately because the strength was weakened, meaning that the
numbers used to calculate the molar concentration were not as accurate. In order to prevent
this error from affecting the results of the experiment, we shold keep the sodium hydroxide in
an enclosed environment at all times, thus limiting the time it has to interact with the
atmosphere.
In addition, the equipment used could have also contributed to the error as all pieces of
apparatus have an uncertainty attached to it. These uncertainties are then applied to
calculations in order to keep up the amount of uncertainty associated with the amount of
material used. These uncertainties can be reduced by using more accurate equipments, for
example a more accurate mass balance. Also, limiting the transfer of solution from one
container to another will also reduce the amount of error.
Human judgment also accounts for some of the error in this experiment as the person
performing the experiment was required to read off many measurements from the pipette and

burette. This error can be reduced by always ensuring that readings are always made at eye
level and that the same person taking the readings is constant as judgment varies with each
person.

References

1. http://infohost.nmt.edu/~jaltig/Vinegar.pdf
2. http://www.smc.edu/projects/28/Chemistry_10_Experiments/Ch10_Titration.pdf
3. http://schoolworkhelper.net/titration-of-vinegar-lab-answers/