Masoud Johnson

May 10, 2010

The Concentration of Acetic Acid in Vinegar

May 10 2010

Masoud Johnson

Mr Ram
The purpose

The purpose of this lab was to determine the concentration of acetic acid through the use of titration.

Materials

Goggles, pipette, pipette pump 20 ml, retort stand, burette, burette clamp, 3 beakers, 3 Erlenmeyer
flasks (250ml), a funnel, table vinegar, sodium hydroxide solution, distilled water, and a dropper bottle
containing phenolphthalein.

Procedure

First all of the apparatus was collected and brought to the working station. Three graduated cylinders
were obtained. 150ml of distilled water was poured into one and that beaker was used to fill three
Erlenmeyer flasks with 50 ml of distilled water (so when the acid was added if it splashed up it would be
diluted) and then using the dropper bottle containing phenolphthalein three drops of indictor were
added to each Erlenmeyer flask. Then using the second graduated cylinder 100 ml of acetic acid was
obtained and brought to the work station. Using a 20ml pipette and pipette pump (The pipette was
washed in the vinegar solution to ensure that anything coming out of it was vinegar).

20ml of acetic acid was added to each Erlenmeyer flasks. Then the burette clamp was attached to the
retort stand and the burette was placed in the clamp. A funnel was acquired and placed in the burette.
Using the third graduated cylinder sodium hydroxide solution was obtained and placed in the burette.
The amount of sodium hydroxide in the burette was measured and then recorded. Then the burette
valve was opened and the sodium hydroxide solution begins to enter the graduated cylinder through
titration and as it entered the beaker the beaker was moved around in a circular motion to mix the
sodium hydroxide with the acetic acid. Once there is a colour change the valve of the burette is closed
off and the amount of sodium hydroxide left in the burette was measured and the amount of sodium
hydroxide used was recorded. The process was repeated for the second and the third acetic acid
solutions. When all three Erlenmeyer flasks had a colour change (pink) the area was cleaned up.

Observation

Before After

Acetic acid- clear, colorless liquid, strong smell pink solution, liquid.
Results

Trial 1
Final reading = 20.2ml
Initial reading=0.2ml
Volume added= Final reading – initial reading
Volume added= 20.2ml – 0.2ml
Volume added= 20 ml

Trail 2

Final reading = 40ml

Initial reading= 20.2ml
Volume added= Final reading – initial reading
Volume added= 40ml – 20.2ml
Volume added= 19.8 ml

Trial 3
Final reading = 50ml
Initial reading= 30ml
Volume added= Final reading – initial reading
Volume added=50ml- 30ml
Volume added= 20ml

Trial 1 amount of sodium hydroxide added was 20ml

Trail 2 amount of sodium hydroxide added was 19.8ml
Trial 3 amount of sodium hydroxide added was 20ml

Ave Volume=v1 + v2 + v3 = ans/3

Ave volume=19.93ml