ABSTRACT

This experiment was performed to identify an unknown weak acid by the titration with a
standard sodium hydroxide. The changes of pH value occurred during the titration of the weak
acid and a strong base is monitored. From this value, we can decide the identity of weak acid
pK a
used in the experiment. values can easily be obtained by the method of titration. The
starting concentration of either weak acid or strong base used is not need to begin this
experiment. All that is necessary is careful recording of the pH of the solution as the point of
volume of base used during titration and accurate determination of the end point.

We are given 0.1 M of standardized sodium hydroxide to be diluted first with 50 mL of distilled
water so that the pH indicator is fully submerged when titrated in a beaker. The volume of 1mL
by 1 mL of sodium hydroxide is dropped into the beaker contained with acid before the pH is
read. This is done until there is a sudden change in the pH so that a graph of pH versus volume
can be plotted. The titration is done two times to obtained an average data so that it is more
accurate.

pK a
In conclusions, based on the calculations and data collected, the value for the first
pK a
method which is the titration is lower than the value for the second method which is
direct method.

INTRODUCTION
When a weak acid HA dissolved in water, only some of the molecules dissociate to yield
+
H 3 O and A ions. At this point, a dynamic equilibrium is established:

( aq)

+ ( aq ) + A

HA ( aq ) + H 2 O ( l ) H 3 O

Ka
Since an equilibrium exists, an equilibrium constant can be written as
 +
H 3 O


A


K a=

Ka Ka
where is the dissociation constant. The larger the value, the stronger the acid and
K
vice versa. This system is similar for bases ( b ) . This value is a characteristic of the acid and
Ka
base and be used to determine the unknown acid base on the value table.

When a strong base is added to a solution of a weak acid, the hydroxide ion reacts with some of
+
the H 3 O present resulted with the disturbance of equilibrium. The acid with dissociate more

until it establish a new equilibrium. There is a sharp change is observed in pH when the number
of moles of base added is equal to the number of moles of acid presence. This is called the
equivalence point and when base is added, it increases the pH until the changes gradually. The
volume of acid added is used to determine the quantity of acid presence at that point.

Ka
Two methods may be used to determine the value in this experiment. Both methods
require the use of pH indicator. The first method that we used is by simply titrated a sample of
acid with base. The graph of pH values versus the volume of sodium hydroxide is plotted. From
the graph, we can obtain how much the volume of base needed to neutralize the acid. The data is

A
recorded as well as the equivalence point. We can conclude that for monoprotic acid
[ HA ] =

+
A H 3 O
thus can be cancelled to give .
[ HA ] K a=

Ka
The second method to determine the in this experiment is the direct method. A solution of
acid is prepared as accurately as possible. But different from the first method, this method is
directly obtained the pH value by submerging the pH indicator into the standard sodium

A
hydroxide solution without dilution . Again from this method we can conclude that
[ HA ] =

+
Ka H3O pK a= pH
So the value for this method is also equal to or .

Figure 1 shows a titration curve for a weak acid titrated with a standardized NaOH solution. The
y-axis shows the pH value of acid while the x-axis indicates the volume of NaOH added into the
acid. The first point show the equivalence point and from that we can obtain the half-equivalence
point.

Figure 1 : pH titration curve of a weak acid with 0.1M NaOH solution

OBJECTIVE
Ka
The objective of this experiment is to determine the value of a weak acid by using two
different methods which are the titration of acid and base and direct method.