Acid-Base-Crime Scene Titration Lab INTRO: Mr.

Mek, a high school staff member of Animo Inglewood High School, has been murdered through consumption of acid HCl. There are three suspects who were each found with bottles of HCl in their classrooms. To figure out who the murderer was, students will neutralize the acids found in each suspects classroom and compare it to a sample of the acid found in Meks body through titration. Titration is a process in which an acid can be neutralized with a base in order to find how much of the acid there is and vice-versa. pH indicators are used in thid technique to indicate when the substance has become neutralized.

PROCEDURES: 1. Goggles were worn throughout the experiment. Materials used: 50 ml graduated cylinder 50 ml burette, stand and clamp 125ml Erlenmeyer Flask Phenolphthalein Indicator Glass funnel

2. The stopcock at the bottom of the burette was in closed position (horizontal). 3. The burette was carefully filled with 1.0 M NaOH base. Graduations were not surpassed and initial volume NaOH was recorded. 4. Approximately, 20.0ml of acid A were poured into a graduated cylinder and then into an Erlenmeyer flask. The flask was positioned on a white paper towel to identify color change without difficulty. 5. 3 drops of phenolphthalein indicator were dropped into the acid and the acid remained clear. 6. Acid A was placed under the burette and titrated by turning the stopcock vertically until a slow stream of NaOH appeared. 7. The flask was gently swirled as drops of NaOH were added which made the color disappear. Observations were recorded. 8. The solution began taking longer to become clear therefore indicating neutralization was near. 9. As this happened, the stopcock was turned to a partly closed position where drops fell instead of a slow stream. 10. As soon as color appeared to start fading, the stopcock was closed to reveal a light pink substance which indicates neutralization. 11. The final volume of NaOH in the burette was recorded. 12. The total volume (in ml) of NaOH used was calculated and recorded in the data table.

13. The burette wsa refilled with NaOH and the process was repeated on each suspects sample (total of six times).

DATA: Exact Volume of HCl (mL) Suspect A Kirkpatric k HCl Acid Suspect B Larkin HCl Acid Suspect C Nguyen HCl Acid Crime Scene HCl Acid Trial 1 Trial 2 Trial 1 Trial 2 Trial 1 Trial 1 19.8 19.9 20.0 19.9 20.4 19.9 Initial Volume of NaoH (mL) 2.8 16.0 4.4 .3 9.6 24.8 Final Volume of NaOH (mL) 12.3 25.6 9.6 3.9 24.8 28.9 Total Volume of NaOH Used in Titration (mL) 9.5 19.6 4.7 3.6 15.2 4.1 Molarity of HCl (M) 0.475 0.959 0.235 0.018 0.470 .200 Observati ons/Notes

CALCULATION TABLE: Acid Sample 2) Moles of NaOH Suspect A Mrs. Kirkpatrick 1.0M/0.0196L = 51.02mol 1.0M/0.0095L = 105.26mol Suspect B 1.0M/0.0047L = Mr. Larkin 212.76mol 1.0M/0.0056L = 277.77mol Suspect C 1.0M/0.0152L = Ms. Nguyen 65.78mol Crime Scene Sample 1.0M/0.0041L = 243.90mol The killer is Mrs. Kirkpatrick

3) Moles of HCl 36/1000 = 0.036 0.036/0.0199 = 1.809 0.036/0.0198 = 1.818 0.036/0.02 = 1.8 0.036/0.0199 = 1.809 0.036/0.204 = 1.764 0.036/0.0199 = 1.809

4) Molarity of HCl (moles HCl/ Liters HCl used) 1.809/0.0199L = 90.904M 1.818mol/0.0198L = 91.818M 1.8/0.02L = 90M 1.809/0.0199L = 90.904M 1.764/0.204L = 8.647M 1.809/0.0199L = 90.904M

CONCLUSION: By neutralizing the acid HCl with base NaOH, students were successful in finding the amount of HCl used to kill Mr. Mek and discover which of the three suspects murdered Mek. According to the calculation table above, Mrs. Kirkpatrick is responsible for the death of Mr. Mekhitarian. The molarity of HCl found in her sample of acid matches the molarity of the crime scene sample taken from Meks body which indicates that the substance that killed Mek did indeed come from Kirkpatricks bottle of HCl. Through the process of titration, in which a substance is neutralized to find its volume or molarity, students discovered that Kirkpatricks sample and the crime scene sample matched with 90.904M. Thus confirming Kirkpatrick guilty of murder. Sources of Error: During Larkin Trial 1, as we were twirling the flask of HCl + NaOH to observe neutralization, a sudden movement caused the flask to be removed from the aim of the slow stream of NaOH coming from the burette which resulted in loss of some NaOH. This incident may have affected our data in the area of quantity of NaOH used (in mL) to neutralize HCl. Also, during Nguyen Trial 1, the graduated cylinder was not fully emptied before adding approximately 20.0mL of HCl and may have caused the error in data to add up to 20.4mL of HCl and this most likely increased the amount of moles of HCl predicted. The total molarity of HCl may as well have increased more than predicted.