EXPERIMENT 3:

STANDARDIZATION OF SODIUM HYDROXIDE AND DETERMINATION OF

UNKNOWN ACID CONCENTRATION

RESULTS:

A. Preparation of standard oxalic acid solution

Mass of H₂C₂O₄.2H₂O (g) 1.2417

Molar Mass of H₂C₂O₄.2H₂O (g/mol) 126.02

B. Preparation of 250 mL, 0.2M NaOH solution

Mass of NaOH (g) 2.0755

Molar Mass of NaOH (g/mol) 39.99

C. Standardization of NaOH solution

Titration Volume of NaOH (mL) Concentration of

Final Initial Volume used NaOH (M)
1 28.50 0.00 28.50 0.175
2 28.20 0.00 28.20 0.177
3 29.10 0.00 29.10 0.172
Average 0.175
D. Determination of unknown acid concentration

i) Determination of HX acid solution

Titration Volume of NaOH (mL) Concentration of HX

Final Initial Volume used (M)
1 25.60 0.00 25.60 0.179
2 43.60 21.50 26.10 0.183
3 44.80 16.70 28.10 0.197
Average 0.186

ii) Determination of H₂X acid solution

Titration Volume of NaOH (mL) Concentration of HX

Final Initial Volume used (M)
1 40.2 11.40 28.80 0.10
2 44.10 15.60 28.50 0.10
Average 0.10
CALCULATION:

PART C:

H₂C₂O₄.2H₂O (aq) + 2NaOH (aq) Na₂C₂O₄ (s) + 2H₂O (l)

Mass of H₂C₂O₄.2H₂O = 1.2417g

Molar mass of H₂C₂O₄.2H₂O = 126.02

𝑚𝑎𝑠𝑠 1.2417
Mole of H₂C₂O₄.2H₂O = =
𝑚𝑜𝑙𝑎𝑟 𝑚𝑎𝑠𝑠 126.02

= 9.853 × 10−3

mole × 1000
Molarity of H₂C₂O₄.2H₂O = 𝑉𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑚𝑒

= 0.10M

First Trial:

𝑀𝑎𝑉𝑎 𝑎
=𝑏
𝑀𝑏𝑉𝑏

(0.1)(25) 1
=2
(𝑀𝑏)(28.5)

Mb = 0.175M

Second Trial:

𝑀𝑎𝑉𝑎 𝑎
=𝑏
𝑀𝑏𝑉𝑏

(0.1)(25) 1
=
(𝑀𝑏)(28.2) 2

Mb = 0.177M
Third Trial:

𝑀𝑎𝑉𝑎 𝑎
=𝑏
𝑀𝑏𝑉𝑏

(0.1)(25) 1
=
(𝑀𝑏)(29.1) 2

Mb = 0.172M

0.175M + 0.177M + 0.172M

Average concentration of NaOH used =
3

= 0.175M

PART D

i. Determination of HX acid solutions

HX (aq) + NaOH (aq) NaX (aq) + H₂O (l)

First Trial:

𝑀𝑎𝑉𝑎 𝑎
=𝑏
𝑀𝑏𝑉𝑏

(𝑀𝑎)(25) 1
=1
(0.175)(25.6)

Ma = 0.179M

Second Trial:

𝑀𝑎𝑉𝑎 𝑎
=𝑏
𝑀𝑏𝑉𝑏

(𝑀𝑎)(25) 1
=1
(0.175)(26.1)

Ma = 0.183M
Third Trial:

𝑀𝑎𝑉𝑎 𝑎
=𝑏
𝑀𝑏𝑉𝑏

(𝑀𝑎)(25) 1
=
(0.175)(28.1) 1

Ma = 0.186M

0.179M + 0.183M + 0.186M

Average concentration of HX used =
3

= 0.186M

ii. Determination of H₂X acid concentration

H₂X (aq) + 2NaOH (aq) Na₂X (s) + 2H₂O (l)

First Trial:

𝑀𝑎𝑉𝑎 𝑎
=𝑏
𝑀𝑏𝑉𝑏

(𝑀𝑎)(25) 1
=2
(0.175)(28.8)

Ma = 0.10M

Second Trial:

𝑀𝑎𝑉𝑎 𝑎
=𝑏
𝑀𝑏𝑉𝑏

(𝑀𝑎)(25) 1
=
(0.175)(28.5) 2

Ma = 0.10M

0.10M + 0.10M
Average concentration of H₂X used = 2

= 0.10M
DISCUSSION:

An acid-base titration is a neutralization reaction that is performed in the lab in order to

determine the unknown concentration of acid and base. However the reference reagent must be

firstly standardize prior to use for the determination of unknown acid concentration solution. For

the neutralization between oxalic acid and sodium hydroxide is expressed by the balanced

chemical equation:

H₂C₂O₄.2H₂O (aq) + 2NaOH (aq) Na₂C₂O₄ (s) + 2H₂O (l)

The 1:2 ratio of the acid to the base in the balanced equation indicates that twice as many moles

of base are needed than acid:

𝑀𝑎𝑉𝑎 1
=2
𝑀𝑏𝑉𝑏

There are two types of standard solutions. First is primary standard such an ultrapure

compound that serves as the reference material for a titrimetric method of analysis. This solution

directly can be used to determine concentration of other solution. While secondary standard is a

compound whose purity has been established by chemical analysis and that serves as the

reference material for a titrimetric method of analysis.

NaOH as a secondary standard was used in this experiment by standardize using

ultrapure oxalic acid which is primary standard. This standardized NaOH solution will be used

for determination of unknown acid concentration.

From this experiment, the average concentration of NaOH is 0.175M. The concentration

of NaOH was calculated by using the formula that was stated above. From the stoichiometry of
balanced equation above, 2 mole of NaOH (base) equivalent to 1 mole of oxalic acid. The

difference of volume of NaOH required are not too large.

The concentration of unknown acids which are HX and H₂X was calculated for each of

the trial. From the calculation, the average concentration of HX acid is 0.186M while the

concentration of H₂X acid is 0.10M. There are significance difference of volume of NaOH

required for HX acid. We can conclude that there are possible errors that occur from this

experiment.

The most significance error could occur by not shaking the flask properly while adding

sodium hydroxide solution and not recognizing the pink colour on the instant it appears and

adding the NaOH vigorously into the acid solution.

CONCLUSION:

From this experiment, we’ve prepared the standard oxalic acid solution with molarity of
0.1M. We also prepared and standardize the concentration of NaOH with oxalic acid and the
average concentration of NaOH is 0.175M. The concentration of unknown acid solutions was
calculated from this experiment. The average concentration HX acid is 0.186M while the average
concentration of H₂X acid is 0.10M.

REFERENCES:

1. (2019 , May). Determining the equivalent mass of an unknown acid by titration. Libretext.

Retrieved from :
https://chem.libretexts.org/Ancillary_Materials/Laboratory_Experiments/Wet_Lab_Experiments/
General_Chemistry_Labs/Online_Chemistry_Lab_Manual/Chem_12_Experiments/04%3A_Dete
rmining_the_Equivalent_Mass_of_an_Unknown_Acid_by_Titration_(Experiment)
2. Farley, J. (2014 , October). Determining molarity through acid-base titration. StuDocu.

Retrieved from : https://www.studocu.com/en/document/university-of-north-carolina-at-

charlotte/general-chemistry-lab/essays/determining-molarity-through-acid-base-titration-lab-
report/2030835/view
3. David, H. (2019, May). Analytical standards. Libretext.

Retrieved from :
https://chem.libretexts.org/Bookshelves/Analytical_Chemistry/Book%3A_Analytical_Chemistry
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4. Analytical Chemistry Laboratory Manual.