Titration Lab Questions

Pre-lab Questions:

1a. A 21.70-mL volume of 0.0940 M NaOH is required to reach a phenolphthalein endpoint in titrating 3.00 g of a vinegar
sample. Calculate the moles of acetic acid in the vinegar sample.

b. Calculate the mass (g) of acetic acid in the vinegar sample. The molar mass of acetic acid 60.05 g/mol.

c. Calculate the percent by mass of acetic acid in this vinegar.

2. What indicator is suggested for use in this experiment, and what will be the observed color change?

3. Why should you wait 10-15 seconds after dispensing the titrant to read its volume in the buret?

4. Phenolphthalein changes color in the pH range of 8.2 to 10.0; methyl orange, from 3.2 to 4.4. Either indicator can be
used in a strong acid—strong base titration, but only phenolphthalein is the indicator of choice in this experiment.
Explain. Refer to your text for a discussion of indicators.

5. Lemon juice has a pH of about 2.5. Assuming that the acidity of lemon juice is due solely to citric acid, that citric acid is
a monoprotic acid, and that the density of lemon juice is 1.0 g/mL, then the citric acid concentration calculates to 0.5%
by mass. Estimate the volume of 0.0100 M NaOH required to neutralize 3.00-g sample of lemon juice. The molar mass
of citric acid is 190.12 g/mol.

Post-lab Questions:

1. Part A.2. A 20-mL volume of water is added to the Erlenmeyer flask to prepare the sample for titration. Explain why this
volume is not critical to the analysis.

2. Part A.3. Suppose an air bubble was inadvertently entrapped in the stopcock of the buret. If this air bubble is then
dispensed in the analysis, will the reported percent acetic acid in vinegar be too high, too low, or unaffected? Explain.

3. Part B.1. The wall of the Erlenmeyer flask can be washed with “previously boiled,” deionized water. Why should the
deionized water be previously boiled?

4. Part B.1. The endpoint of the titration is overshot! How will this error affect the reported percent acetic acid in the
vinegar? Explain.

5. Part B.1. A dirty buret causes a drop of titrant (the sodium hydroxide solution) to adhere to the wall of the buret. How
does this consequence of poor technique affect the reported number of moles of titrant dispensed from the buret?
Explain.