Results

Hydrochloric acid (.325 M) and sulfuric acid (.325 M) were each titrated separately into Potassium
Hydroxide (0.063 M). As seen in Figure 1, the equivalence point for sulfuric acid and potassium
hydroxide was 4.0 mL and 4.1 mL acid added. The equivalence point for hydrochloric acid and potassium
hydroxide was 7.8 mL and 8.75 mL acid added (Figure 1). The theoretical curve for sulfuric shows an
equivalence point of 3.4 mL acid added and the theoretical curve for hydrochloric acid shows an
equivalence point of 7.7 mL (Figure 1). According to Figure 1, the hydrochloric acid equivalence point is
almost double that of the sulfuric acids equivalence point.

Figure 1. Titration curves depict the two trials for each strong acid with the strong base in comparison
with the theoretical titration curves.

Discussion

In this experiment two trials were conducted comparing two strong acids which were hydrochloric acid
and sulfuric acid, each in the presence of potassium hydroxide, a strong base. Both solutions were
added with the same concentration of 0.325 M to 0.063 M of potassium hydroxide in order to test how
the acids would affect the pH level of the potassium hydroxide solution. The purpose of this titration
was to neutralize the strong base solution of potassium hydroxide with each strong acid separately. The
hypothesis for this experiment was that when more titrant or acid was added to the base or analyte, the
overall pH level of the solution should decrease. Figure 1 depicts the results supporting this hypothesis.
In each trial the acid added sulfuric or hydrochloric, caused a decrease in pH of potassium hydroxide
solution. Because potassium hydroxide is a strong base it has a very high pH value, so using it was ideal
in seeing the effect of the acids on pH. As the acids were each added slowly to base, the pH was
observed as decreasing minutely until it reached closer to the equivalence point, a pH of 7.01. The pH
values then decreased at significant rates nearing the equivalence point. This where the titrant and
analyte were in their exact stoichiometric ratios1. As they neutralize, both the acid and base fully
dissociate into ions2. Once the equivalence point is reached as seen in Figure 1, equal amounts of H+ and
OH- ions will combine to form H2O, resulting in a neutral pH of 7.01. This is only true for titrations of a
strong acid with a strong base2. The resulting anions from the acid and cations from the base that do not
form H2O, will form salts1. Also as the mixture gained more titrant or acid, the pH level of the end result
solutions are seen to become a strong acids, having a pH of around 2 (Figure 1). This was due to more
moles of titrant or acid becoming present in the solution than moles of analyte or the base. As
aforementioned double the amount of sulfuric acid was needed for the hydrochloric acid to neutralize
potassium hydroxide. Because sulfuric acid is a polyprotic acid, it donates two H+ ions at a time instead
of one H+ ion as hydrochloric acid1. This means less sulfuric acid neutralizes potassium hydroxide faster
in comparison to hydrochloric acid.

One source of error that could have occurred was the rinsing burette with wrong solution. If the burette
or pipette is not dry before using it, it has to be rinsed with the solution that will be transferred. Using
just distilled water for rinsing will mean that the transferred solution will become diluted. A suggested
follow up experiment could involve perhaps titrating weak acid with a weak base in order to see the
change in pH and the overall titration curve it will produce.

References

1. Sathoud, O.; Weir, M. Titration I Strong Acid/Strong Base Titration. In Intergrated BISC207/CHEM107
Laboratory and Studio Manual; Audette, D.; Hunt, S.; Martin, B. Wuersig, R., Ed.; University of Delaware,
Newark, DE, 2016; pp 155-157.

2. Munegumi, T. (2013). Where is the Border Line between Strong Acids and Weak Acids? World Journal
of Chemical Education, pp.12-16.