DETERMINATION OF Ka VALUE OF A WEAK ACID

OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this experiment is to determine the acid ionization constant, Ka value of the
unknown monoprotic acid solutions using two different experimental techniques.

INTRODUCTION

Determination of acidity in a substance or system is important in many situations, such as the

quality of drinking water, food preservation, and soil conditions for agriculture. Strength and
weakness of an acid is defined as its ability to donate protons to a base. The quantitative measure
of the strength of an acid is the acid ionization constant, Ka. The ionization of a generic acid HA
can be determined by the above equation:
HA (aq) + H2O (l) H3O+ (aq) + A-(aq)

(Equation 1)

where HA is a generic acid that dissociates by splitting into A, known as the conjugate base of
the acid, and the hydrogen ion or proton, H+, which, in the case of aqueous solutions, exists as a
solvated hydronium ion. The corresponding acid ionization constant expression, Ka is generally
written as:
Ka=

(Equation 2)

Two methods may be used to determine the Ka value. Both methods require the use of a pH
meter. In the first method, a sample of acid is titrated with base. The pH values are plotted vs.
the volume of base added. The equivalence point is determined from the graph. Next, the
volume of base halfway to the equivalence point is found, and the pH at this volume is noted.
The [H+] corresponding to this pH is equal to the Ka for the acid. At a point halfway to the
equivalence point, [H+] = [HA] = [A-] for a monoprotic acid.
The second method for determining Ka values involves a half volume method. A
solution of the acid is prepared and divided in half as accurately as possible. One portion is
titrated to its endpoint with phenolphthalein. The two portions are then recombined, and the pH
of the resulting solution is measured.

The characteristic of an acid is the Ka value whereas it can be used to identify an unknown acid.
The Ka is the value to indicate the strength of an acid. The larger the Ka value, the stronger the
acid. The smaller the Ka value, the weaker the acid.

strong acid: Ka > 1

weak acid: Ka < 1

An acid ionization constant, Ka which is known as acidity constant is a quantitative measure of

the strength of an acid in solution. One measure of the strength of an acid is its ability to donate
protons to a base. It is the equilibrium constant for a chemical reaction known as dissociation in
the context of acid-base reactions.
HA

A + H+

The logarithmic constant, pKa, which is equal to log10 Ka, is sometimes also (but incorrectly)
referred to as an acid dissociation constant:
pKa = pH = -log [Ka]
pKa>

the smaller the extent of dissociation, contrast to pKa< the larger the extent of

dissociation.

THEORY
There are two general methods used to determine the Ka value of a weak acid:
1. Titrating the weak acid with sodium hydroxide,
2. Measuring the pH of the weak acid solution

Part A : Determination of the Ka value of weak acid by titration with NaOH

A titration curve is formed by plotting the pH of the acid solution against the volume of
NaOH added. The equivalence point of the titration is achieved when all of the weak acid (HA)
has completely reacted with NaOH. On the titration curve, the equivalence point is read at the
middle of the region where the pH increases abruptly. The half-equivalence point for the titration
is achieved when one half of the base needed to complete to neutralize the acid has been
added. The concentration of the acid in the solution, [HA] is equal to the concentration of its
conjugate base, [ ].

[HA] = [

(Equation 3)

Equation 2 can be simplified to yield equation 4,

Ka =

(Equation 4)

Taking the negative sign of the algorithm of each side of equation 4, we can derive the
equation 5,
-log Ka = -log
pKa = pH

(Equation 5)

For equation 5, it indicates that the pKa for the acid is equal to the pH of the solution at
the half equivalence point. The Ka of the acid is determined from the pKa value as follows:
Ka = 1

(Equation 6)

Part B : Determination of the Ka from the initial concentration and pH of weak acid solution

From the pH of the acid solution (HA), it enables to determine the

concentration, which is related to the pH of a solution by Equation 7,

and

ion
(Equation 7)

By substituting [HA],
be calculated.

, and

at equilibrium into equation 2, the value of Ka can

Acid

Formula

Ka

Acetic acid
Benzoic acid
Carbonic acid
Formic acid
Hypochlorous acid
Dihydrogen phosphate ion
Hydrogen phosphate ion
Hydrogen carbonate ion
Nitrous acid
Phenol
Potassium Hydrogen Phthalate

CH3COOH
C6H5COOH
H2CO3
HCOOH
HOCl
H2PO4HPO42HCO3HNO2
C6H6O
KC8H5O4

1.8 X 10-5
6.3 X 10-5
4.2 X 10-7
1.8 X 10-4
3.5 X 10-8
6.2 X 10-6
3.6 X 10-13
4.8 X 10-11
4.8 X 10-11
4.3 X 10-4
5.3 X 10-6

Table 1: Ionization constant (Ka) for some weak acids at 25C

MATERIAL/APPARATUS

MATERIAL

0.1 M Sodium Hydroxide

0.1 M Unknown Weak Acid

APPARATUS

Distilled Water

pH Meter

Burette and A Clamp

Beakers

Volumetric Pipette

Conical Flask

Hot Plate

Measuring Cylinder

Magnetic stirrer

PROCEDURE
A. Determination of the Ka value of the weak acid by titration with NaOH.
1. 40 mL of 0.1M unknown acid is approximately obtained.
2. 10 mL of the unknown acid was transferred to a 250 mL beaker using volumetric
pippete.
3. The titration process between unknown acid and NaOH in the burette was performed.
4. Steps 2-3 is repeated twice more.
5. The titration curve is drawn using Excel, and the volume of NaOH required to neutralised
the weak acid solution in each solution. The data is recorded.
6. The volume of NaOH added at the half equivalence point in each titration is calculated.
The weak acid solution is determined at the graph and the data is recorded.
7. The Ka value for each titration is calculated.
B. Determination of the Ka from the initial concentration and pH of a weak solution
1. 20 mL of the unknown weak acid solution (same as used in Part A) is added to a dry
beaker.
2. The pH electrode is removed from ph 7 buffer solution. The electrode is rinsed with
distilled water and the tip is dried of the probe.
3. The electrode is inserted into the beaker containing acid solution from step 1. The
solution is stirred. After the reading of pH is stabilized, the data is recorded.
4. The weak acid is decanted into the designated waste container.
5. Steps 1-4 is repeated twice more.
6. The pH probe is rinsed with distilled water.
7. The pH and the initial concentration of unknown acid are used to determine the Ka.
8. The average Ka for the weak acid is calculated and used in identifying the weak acid
from the table 1.