POTENTIOMETRIC DETERMINATION OF THE PURITY AND

DISSOCIATION CONSTANT OF POTASSIUM HYDROGEN

PHTHALATE
J.B. NACOMEL
DEPARTMENT OF MINING, METALLURGICAL AND MATERIALS ENGINEERING, COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING
UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES, DILIMAN QUEZON CITY, PHILIPPINES
DATE PERFORMED: OCTOBER 28, 2015
INSTRUCTORS NAME: SEARLE AICHELLE DUAY

1. Discuss the significant regions

(pre-equivalence
point,
equivalencce
point,
and
postequivalence point) in the titration
curve.
The titration curve usually forms an
S shape. The pre-equivalence is located
at the lower tail of the curve, the
equivalence point is at the inflection
point in the curve and the postequivalence point is the upper tail of
the curve after the inflection point.
2. Explain the differences if any in
the Veq values obtained among the
3 plots.
There may be differences in the 3
plots since the plots use a different ratio
in obtaining the Veq.
3. How is the endpoint estimated
using potentiometric method if no
chemical indicator is added to the
analyte solution?
Potentiometric method uses ionselctive electrode, this electrode is
selective towards the H+ ion, with its
Ecell value dependent on the ions
concentration.
The
endpoints
is
estimated to be at the highest potential
break.
4. The continuous stirring(use of
stirrer and magnetic stir bar) in
potentiometric titration.
The magnetic stirrer is used to
prevent disturbance of the system. It
would be hard to do manual stirring
because it is almost impossible to do so

without hitting the burette or the pH

probe.
Continuous stirring is employed to
disperse the titrant throughout the
solution. If stirring is not done, the
titrant would concentrate itself on the
surface of the solution and if the probe
is in close proximity, it will read the pH
of the titrant instead of the pH of the
solution.
5. Why should the increments of
addition of titrant be narrowed
down as the titration approaches
the equivalence point?
The increments are narrowed down
so that the we could see the exact point
at which the highest potential break is
found.
6. Discuss the advantages and
disadvantages
of
using
potentiometric titration.
The advantages of potentiometric
titration is it can tell the exact
numerical quantity of the endpoint as
opposed to that of titrations with an
indicator that exhibit color change over
a range of pH. Another advantage is
that we can rely on graphing to
determine the endpoint instead of just
detecting a color change. A third
advantage is that it can be used to
titrate
turbid
solutions,
indicators
cannot be used for turbid solutions
because of color interference.
The disadvantage is that the
equipment used is expensive.
1

7. Possible sources of error and

their effect on the %purity of KHP
in the sample.
Errors may come from the
limitations of the instrument used. We
also have the acid error, when the
pH<0.5 the pH reading will higher than
the actual pH, the alkaline error on the
other hand tells that when the pH>12
the pH reading will be lower than the
actual pH.
REFERENCES
[1] Skoog, D.A., West, D.M., Holler, F.J.,
Crouch, S.R. Fundamentals of Analytical
Chemistry 9th ed. Brooks/Cole Cengage
Learning, California. 2014.
[2] Jeffery G. H., Bassett J., Mendham J.,
Denney, R.C. Vogels Textbook of
Quantitative Chemical Analaysis. John
Wiley & Sons Inc. New York. 1978.
[3] Harris, D.C. Quantitative Chemical
Analysis 7th ed. W.H. Freeman and
Company, New York. 2007