Experiment No.

15 Shifting Equilibrium
Answers to Questions (ATQ)
1. What is the effect on the pH when NaOH is added instead of HCl into the extract?
Upon addition of NaOH into the extract, the pH of the extract increased from 7 to 11, which
means that the extract became more basic. The change in pH is also manifested when the
extract changed its color from dark violet to green.
2. Explain the observed difference in the observed pH.
As an acid and a base are added to the extract, the pH as well as the color of the solution
had some noticeable changes. In order to understand how these changes happen, let us
look at the equation of the reaction with the indicator.
HIn(aq) + H2O(l)

In-(aq) + H3O+(aq)

The color of the extract, which is dark violet, indicates that the system is in equilibrium.
Upon addition of the acid, which has H+, the system tends to favor the backward reaction
more because HIn is needed to be produced in order to cope with the increase in the
hydronium ion. The shifting of equilibrium to the left side is signaled by the transition of
the color of the extract from dark violet to pink. This also means a decrease in the observed
pH of the system, as seen when it was tested using the pH paper.
On the other hand, upon addition of NaOH to the extract, the color changed from dark violet
to green, also signaling a change in the pH. Since we have added a base, which donates a
hydroxide group, the system favors the forward reaction. This is due to the fact that HIn
needs to produce more H3O+ in order to cope with the addition of OH-.
3. Based on Le Chateliers Principle, what is the predicted effect on the solubility of calcium chloride
when a saturated solution of it is heated? The dissolution of calcium chloride is exothermic.
The dissolution of calcium chloride is given by the equation
CaCl2 (s)

Ca2+(aq) + 2Cl-(aq) + heat

The above reaction is exothermic. But, when we supply heat to the calcium chloride
solution, the system will favor the reverse reaction. Based on Le Chateliers Principle, if we
add heat to an exothermic reaction, the reaction will be reversed and the added heat will be
used to produce solid calcium chloride from the calcium and chloride ions present.
Therefore, upon heating the saturated solution of calcium chloride, its solubility will
decrease.