Lab Exp 3 pH & Conductivity

of Solutions

Mahmoud Mohamed Abdel Moniem

ID : 128697
Abstract

The aim of the experiment is determining the pH levels (whether acidic or basic) of the unknown

samples and also measuring the conductivity of sample liquid solution. The procedures in determining

the pH of unknown sample. First by having a pH meter. Putting the first sample in a beaker and then

inserting the electrode of the pH meter. Checking the sample for its acidity or basic and repeating the

procedure on the other samples. The procedures in measuring the conductivity of the solution is as

follows: Preparing distilled water in a beaker then inserting electrode of the conductivity meter to

record its conductivity value. Preparing a solution by weighing 8g of NaCl and dissolving it in a 100ml

distilled water in a volumetric flask then pouring it in a measuring cylinder. Recording its conductivity

value. Taking 20 ml of the solution and adding it to 20 ml distilled water and recording the conductivity

value (conc = 4g/100ml water), repeating this step once having (conc = 2g/100ml water) and other with

(conc =1g/100ml water). Drawing a graph between the concentration (x-axis) and conductivity (y-axis)

and knowing the concentration from the graph.

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Table of Contents
Abstract ......................................................................................................................................................... 1
Introduction .................................................................................................................................................. 3
Experimental Method & Procedure .............................................................................................................. 4
Experimental Results .................................................................................................................................... 6
Discussion...................................................................................................................................................... 8
Conclusion ..................................................................................................................................................... 9
Sources of Errors ......................................................................................................................................... 10
References .................................................................................................................................................. 11

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Introduction

Acid and bases are descriptions which describe chemicals. The pH scale is a measurement
Scale which shows the substance acidity or basic. The scale ranges from 0 to 14. A substance
Which has a scale of 7 is neutral, less than 7 is acidic, more than 7 is basic. An acidic solution
have high hydronium concentrations while basic solution have high hydroxide concentrations.
The calculation of the pH of an aq solution is done by determining the concentration of the
hydronium ion in moles per liter (molarity) then using the expression pH = -log [H3O]+. (agency,

2016)

Electrical conductivity is the ability of solution to conduct electricity and is the inverse of
Electrical resistivity. Conductivity is used to measure the concentration of dissolved solids in
The solution that are ionized in a polar solution an example is water. The unit of conductivity
Is Siemens (S) and when measuring more than one concentrated solution the unit is expressed in
milli- Siemens (mS). Temperature is an important factor in conductivity, because when ionic
activity increases by high temperature conductivity measurements are referred at 25C. (Heyda,
2006)

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Experimental Method & Procedure

The equipment’s and materials that are used during the lab experiment are:
1- pH meter
2- Conductivity meter
3- Beakers
4- Sodium chloride (Nacl)
5- Distilled water
6- Volumetric flask
7- Measuring cylinder
8- Conical flask
9- 5 different unknown samples to determine their pH levels (acidic or basic)

The experimental procedures of pH test:

 Having the pH meter ready
 Pouring the first sample in a beaker
 Inserting the electrode of the pH meter
 Record its pH level and checking if its acidic or basic
 Repeat the steps for the rest of the samples

The experimental procedures for the conductivity test:

Pouring distilled water in a beaker and inserting the electrode of the conductivity meter to record
Its conductivity value.

Weighing 8g of sodium chloride (NaCl) then dissolving it in a distilled water using 100ml
Volumetric flask then pouring the solution in a measuring cylinder to record its conductivity value
Concentration value of 8g/100ml solution.

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Taking 20 ml of solution and 20 ml distilled water using conical flask then recording its
Conductivity value.

Repeating the following steps with 20 ml of solution and 20 ml distilled water but with different
Concentration values (0,1,2,4,8) then record the conductivity value for each.

Drawing a graph between the concentration (X-axis) and conductivity values on (Y-axis) then
Record the conductivity of the required sample and get its concentration form the graph.

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Experimental Results

pH of solutions

Unknown pH value Acidic or Basic

1 1.60 Strong acid

2 3.01 Weak acid

3 12.3 Strong base

4 10.95 Weak base

Conductivity of solutions
Sample Conductivity value Concentration g/ml

1 6.6 mS 0

2 12.5 mS 1

3 35 mS 2

4 48.2 mS 4

5 77.7 mS 8

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Conductivity (mS)

Y-Values
90

80

70

60

50

40

30

20

10

0
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

concentration

The conductivity of the required sample which has a conductivity value of 54.1 (mS) has a
Concentration of 5 in the graph.

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Discussion

The observation and results of the pH solutions

The first unknown sample recorded a pH value of 1.60 which has an acidic character known
from pH scale the second unknown sample has a pH value of 3.01 which is also has and acidic
character but comparing both the samples together, the first sample is a more strong acid
than the second sample which is a weak acid compared to the first.
The third unknown sample has pH value of 12.3 which is a basic solution and the fourth sample
has pH value of 10.95 which also a basic solution but comparing both, the third sample is more
strong base than the fourth sample. When the pH is above 7 the solution is basic and when the
pH is below 7 the solution is characterized as acidic solution.

The observation and results of the Conductivity of solutions

During this test distilled water is used to dissolve the (NaCl). Distilled water doesn’t conduct
Electricity so any dissolved species in it would conduct electricity. Dissolving (NaCl) in distilled
Water releases ions NaCl gives Na+ + Cl- . The first solution which has 0 concentration has a
Conductivity value of 6.64 mS and the fifth solution has conductivity value of 77.7 mS which
has a concentration of 8 g/100ml. Comparing the two results it is shown that having greater
concentration value is more conductive than the first solution which has 0 concentration due to
having more grams or concentration of sodium chloride (NaCl)in the solution. The conductivity
of the required sample has conductivity value of 54.1 (mS) which shows it has a concentration of
5 at the graph.

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Conclusion

The lab experiment is about the pH and conductivity of solutions. The aim of the experiment
is determining the pH of the unknown samples checking whether it is an acidic or basic solution
and measuring the conductivity of liquid solution, while considering its behavioral changes in
concentrations. It was required to find pH of the unknown sample (acidic or basic) by the pH
meter and knowing the conductivity values of the NaCl solution with different concentrations
and plotting a graph to determine the concentration of the required sample with its conductivity
value.

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Sources of Errors

Human errors
Measuring incorrectly. When measuring in measuring cylinder reading values wrong or plotting
The graph wrong, weighing more grams of sodium chloride when dissolving in distilled water.
Mistakes in calculation
Contaminating a solution
Dirty instruments ( using dirty flask or measuring cylinder )

Equipment errors
Instruments not calibrated properly (measuring scale, pH meter, conductivity meter)

Environment and Surrounding

Room temperature can change the temperature of the solutions causing incorrect values while
recording results.

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References
agency, U. E. (2016, 2 22). Retrieved from http://www3.epa.gov/acidrain/measure/ph.html

Heyda, M. (2006). MBH . Retrieved from MBH engineering systems:

http://www.mbhes.com/conductivity_measurement.htm

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