Abstract

In this experiment, the molarity of a solution and the percent by mass of acetic acid in
vinegar is determined by using titration with a standardized sodium hydroxide, NaOH solution. This
is done by firstly standardizing NaOH solution. 250mL of approximately 0.6M NaOh solution was
prepared by dissolving calculated amount of NaOH solid in distilled water. This NaOH solution is then
titrated with potassium hydrogen phthalate, KHC8H4O4 or KHP solution. KHP solution was prepared
by dissolving 1.5 grams of KHP granule in 30mL distilled water inside a 250mL beaker. Secondly, the
experiment proceeded with the determining the molarity of the solution and the percent mass of
acetic acid in vinegar. This is done by titrating standardized NaOH solution with 10 mL vinegar that
has been diluted with 100 mL of distilled water. Both of these parts are repeated 2 times to increase
the accuracy of the result.

From the analysis of the result, it has been found that the greater the mass of solute in the
acid solution, the more concentrated the solution becomes thus, the higher the molarity and more
volume of NaOH needed to neutralize the acid.
Introduction
Concentration of solution is the amount of solute in a given amount of solvent. A concentrated
solution contains a relatively large quantity of solute in a given amount of solvent. Dilute solutions
contains a relatively little solute in a given amount of solvent. There are two specific terms to
express concentration, namely molarity and percent by mass:

Molarity is the number of moles of solute per liter of solution. (Equation 1-1)

Molarity (M) =

Percent by mass is the mass in grams of solute per 100 grams of solution. (Equation 1-2)

Percent of solute = 100%

Vinegar is a dilute solution of acetic acid. The molecular formula for acetic acid is CH3COOH. Both
molarity and percent by mass of acetic acid in the vinegar solution can be determined by performing
a titration. A titration is a process in which small increments of a solution of known concentration
are added to a specific volume of a solution of unknown concentration until the stoichiometry for
that reaction is attained. Knowing the quantity of the known solution required to complete the
titration enables calculation of the unknown solution concentration. The purpose of titration is to
determine the equivalence point of the reaction. The equivalence point is reach when the added
quantity of one reactant is the exact amount necessary for stoichiometric reaction with another
reactant.

Objective
To determine the molarity of a solution and the percent by mass of acetic acid in vinegar by the
method of titration with a standardized sodium hydroxide solution.
Theory
In the titration process, a burette is used to dispense a small, quantifiable increment of solution of
known concentration. A typical burette has the smallest calibration unit of 0.1 mL as shown in Figure
4.1, therefore the volume dispensed from the burette should be estimated to the nearest 0.05 mL.

Figure 1: Depicts a typical 50 mL burette with indication of smallest calibration unit (0.1 mL)

In this experiment, the equivalent point occurs when the moles of acid in the solution equals the
moles of base added in the titration. For example, the stoichiometric amount of 1 mole of strong
base, sodium hydroxide (NaOH), is necessary to neutralize 1 mole of weak acid, acetic acid
(CH3CO2H), as indicated in equation 1 3:

NaOH (aq) + CH3CO2H (aq) NaCH3CO2 (aq) + H2O (l) (Equation 1 3)

The sudden change in the solution pH shows that the titration has reached the equivalence point. pH
in an aqueous solution is related to its hydrogen in concentration. Symbolically, the hydrogen ion
concentration is written as [H3O+]. pH is defined as the negative of the logarithm of the hydrogen
ion concentration.

pH = log10 [H3O+] (Equation 1 4)

pH scale is a method of expressing the acidity or basicity of a solution. Solutions having a pH < 7 are
acidic, pH = 7 are neutral, pH > 7 are basic. For example, a solution having [H30+] = 2.35 x 10-2 M
would have a pH of 1.629 and is acidic. Ph electrode will be used in this experiment. The titration is
initiated by inserting a pH electrode into a beaker containing the acid solution (pH within 3-5). As
sodium hydroxide, NaOH, is incrementally added to the acid solution, some of the hydrogen ions will
be neutralized. As the hydrogen ion concentration decreases, the pH of the solution will gradually
increase. When sufficient NaOH is added to completely neutralize the acid (most of the H3O+ ions
are removed from the solution), the next drop of NaOH added will cause a sudden sharp increase in
pH (figure 2-2). The volume of based required to completely neutralized the acid is determine at the
equivalence point of titration. The titration is initiated by inserting a pH electrode into a beaker
containing the acid solution (pH 3 5). As sodium hydroxide, NaOH, is incrementally added to the
acid solutions, some of the hydrogen ions will be neutralized. As the hydrogen ion concentrated
decreases, the pH of the solution will gradually increase. When sufficient NaOH is added to
completely neutralize the acid (most of H3O+ ions are removed from the solution), the next drop of
NaOH added will cause a sudden sharp increase in pH as shown in Figure 4.3. The volume of based
required to completely neutralized the acid is determined at the equivalent point of titration.

Figure 2: Acid-base titration curve of weak acid titrated with NaOH.

In this experiment, titration of vinegar sample with a standardized sodium hydroxide solution will be
done. To standardize the sodium hydroxide solution, of a primary standard acid solution is initially
prepared. In general, primary standard solutions are produce by dissolving a weighed quantity of
pure acid or base in a known volume of solution. Primary standard acid or bases have several
common characteristics:

They must be available in at least 99.9 purity

They must have a high molar mass to minimize error in weighing
They must be stable upon heating
They must be soluble in the solvent of interest

Potassium hydrogen phthalate, KHC8H4O4, and oxalic acid, (COOH)2, are common primary standard
acids. Sodium carbonate, Na2CO3, is the most commonly used base. Most acids and bases (e.g. HCL,
CH3COOH, NaOH, and KOH) are mostly available in primary standard form. To standardize one of
these acidic or basic solutions, titration of the solution with a primary standard should be
performed. In this experiment, NaOH solution will be titrated with potassium hydrogen phathalate
(KHP). The reaction equation for this is:

KHC8H4O4 (aq) + NaOH (aq) KNaC8H4O4 (aq) + H2O (l) (Equation 1-5)

Once the sodium solution has been standardized it will be titrated with 10.00 mL aliquots of vinegar.
The reaction equation for vinegar with NaOH is:

CH3COOH (aq) + NaOH(aq) NaCH3COO (aq) + H2O(l) (Equation 1-6)

Knowing the standardized NaOH concentration and using Equation 1 6, the molarity and percent
by mass of acetic acid in the vinegar solution can be determined.

Apparatus
Apparatus:

a) Hot plate
b) Magnetic stirrer
c) Retort stand
d) 250mL & 10mL Beaker
e) pH meter
f) Burette
g) Weighting balance
h) Measuring cylinder

Materials:

a) Sodium hydroxide, NaOH solid

b) Potassium hydrogen phthalate, KHC8H4O4 (KHP) granules
c) Vinegar
d) Distilled water
Procedures
Standardization of sodium hydroxide, NaOH solution

1. Weight of NaOH solid needed to prepare the 0.6 M NaOH solution is calculated and confirmed by
the lecturer.

2. 250 mL of approximately 0.6 M NaOH solution is prepared from the NaOH solid.

3. A beaker is placed on the weighing balance and the beakers weight is tarred and recorded.

4. Then, 1.5 g of KHP granules is added into the beaker and its weight is recorded to the nearest
0.001 g.

5. Next, 30 mL of distilled water is added into the beaker and the solution is stirred until the KHP
granules completely dissolved in the solution.

6. The pH value of the KHP solution without the addition of NaOH solution is recorded until pH
meter reading stabilized.

7. This solution is then titrated with 1 mL of NaOH solution.

8. Then, the pH value of the solution is recorded after the reading on pH meter is stabilized.

9. Step 7 and 8 are repeated until the pH values of the solution achieve its stable state.

10. After that, the titration process is repeated twice for NaOH standardization.

11. The graph of pH versus NaOH for all titration processes are plotted and the volume of NaOH
needed to neutralize the KHP solution is determined from all three graphs.

12. Next, the molarity of NaOH solution for titration 1, and 2 are calculated.

13. The average molarity of the NaOH solution is calculated.

Molarity of acetic acid and mass percent in vinegar

1. 10 mL of vinegar is transferred into a clean and dry beaker.

2. 100 mL of distilled water is then added into the beaker.

3. Next, pH value of the vinegar solution is recorded after the pH meter reading stabilized.

4. Then, 2 mL of NaOH solution is added into the vinegar solution and its pH value is recorded after
the pH meter reading stabilized.

5. Step 4 is repeated until the pH values of the solution achieve its stable state.

6. After that, step 1 until 5 are repeated twice more for standardization.

7. The graph of pH versus NaOH for all titration processes are plotted and the volume of NaOH
needed to neutralize the vinegar solution is determined from all three graphs.
8. Next, the molarity and the average molarity of acetic acid solution for titration 1, and 2 are
calculated.

9. Lastly, the percent by mass and the average percent by mass of acetic acid solution in vinegar for
titration 1, and 2 are calculated.

Results
Standardization of sodium hydroxide, NaOH solution

Volume of NaOH added KHP (mL) pH of KHP

Titration 1 Titration 2
0 3.36 3.84
1 4.20 4.22
2 4.38 4.57
3 4.55 4.63
4 4.68 4.71
5 4.70 4.80
6 4.75 4.88
7 4.91 4.97
8 5.45 5.63
9 5.98 6.12
10 6.17 6.59
11 6.88 6.99
12 7.05 7.12
13 11.68 11.72
14 12.26 12.25
 Standardization of sodium hydroxide, NaOH solution
14

12

10

0
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16

pH of KHP Titration 1 pH of KHP Titration 2

Figure 3: Standardization of sodium hydroxide, NaOH solution

Titration 1 Titration 2
pH= (7.05 + 11.68) / 2 pH = (7.12 + 11.72) / 2
= 9.365 = 9.42
Average equivalence point,
pH = (9.365 + 9.42) / 2
= 9.3925

Volume of NaOH required to neutralized vinegar

Volume of NaOH added (mL) pH of vinegar solution

Titration 1 Titration 2
0 2.52 2.37
1 3.54 3.62
2 4.12 4.47
3 4.58 4.54
4 4.76 4.93
5 5.19 5.17
6 5.37 5.22
7 5.59 5.54
8 5.82 5.67
9 6.06 5.72
10 10.84 10.00
 Volume of NaOH required to neutralized vinegar
12

10

0
0 2 4 6 8 10 12

pH of vinegar solution Titration 1 pH of vinegar solution Titration 2

Figure 4: Volume of NaOH required to neutralized vinegar

Titration 1 Titration 2
pH= (6.06 + 10.84) / 2 pH = (5.72 + 10) / 2
= 8.45 = 7.86
Average equivalence point,
pH = (8.45 +7.86) / 2
= 8.155
Calculations
Standardization of sodium hydroxide, NaOH solution

Calculation for preparing 150 mL of approximately 0.6 M NaOH solution

Molarity (M) = moles of solute

Litre of solution
0.6 = moles of solute
(250 X 103) L

Moles of solute = (0.6) (0.25)

= 0.15 mol

No. of moles = mass

Molecular weight of NaOH

Mass = (no. of moles) (MW NaOH)

= (0.15) (22.99 + 16.00 + 1.01g)

=6g

Titration 1 Titration 2
Mass of beaker (g) 97.427 97.426
Mass of beaker + KHP (g) 98.927 98.924
Mass of KHP (g) 1.500 1.498
Volume of NaOH to 12 12
neutralize the KHP
solution (mL)

Sample calculation for the molarity of NaOH using data from titration 1
Molarity of NaOH
Moles of KHP:
1.500g KHC8H4O4 X 1 mol KHC8H4O4 = 0.007346 mol HC8H4O4
204.2 g KHC8H4O4
 Moles of NaOH required neutralizing moles of KHP:
0.007346 mol KHC8H4O4 X 1 mol NaOH = 0.007346 mol NaOH
1 mol KHC8H4O4

Molarity of NaOH solution:

12.00 mL NaOH X 1L = 0.012 L NaOH
1000 mL

mol of NaOH = 0.007346 mol NaOH = 0.6122 M NaOH

L of solution 0.012 L NaOH

Average molarity of NaOH

Mave = (M1 + M2) / 2

= (0.6122 + 0.6113) / 2
= 0.6118 M NaOH

Molarity of acetic acid and mass percent in vinegar

Sample calculation for average percent by mass of acetic acid if vinegar using data from
titration 1

Titration 1 Titration 2
Volume of NaOH to
neutralize vinegar (mL) 9.1967 9.2991
*via interpolation

Molarity of acetic acid in vinegar

Moles of NaOH that reacted:

9.1967 mL of NaOH X 1L = 0.0092 L NaOH
1000 mL
0.0092 L NaOH X 0.6118 mol NaOH = 0.0056 mol NaOH
1L NaOH solution
Moles of CH3COOH neutralized by moles of NaOH:
0.0056 mol NaOH X 1 mol CH3COOH = 0.0056 mol CH3COOH
Mol NaOH

Molarity of CH3COOH:
10 mL CH3COOH X 1L = 0.010 L CH3COOH
1000 mL
mol of CH3COOH = 0.0056 mol CH3COOH = 0.56 M CH3COOH
L of solution 0.010 L CH3COOH

Average molarity of acetic acid in vinegar

Mave = (M1 + M2) / 2

= (0.56 + 0.57) / 2
= 0.565 M CH3COOH

Percent by mass of acetic acid in vinegar

Mass of acetic acid in the solution:

10 mL CH3COOH X 1L = 0.010 L CH3COOH
1000 mL
0.010 L CH3COOH X 0.56 mol CH3COOH X 60.06 g CH3COOH
1 L solution 1 mol CH3COOH
= 0.3363 g CH3COOH

Mass of acetic acid solution:

10 mL CH3COOH X 1 g CH3COOH solution = 10 g CH3COOH solution
1 mL CH3COOH solution

Percent by mass of acetic acid in the solution = g CH3COOH X 100 %

g CH3COOH solution
= 0.3363 X 100%
10.0
= 3.363 %
 8.2.1.4 Average percent by mass of acetic acid in vinegar:
%ave = (%1 + %2) / 2
= (3.363% + 3.423) / 2
= 3.393 %

Discussion
In this experiment, the sample used is acetic acid and sodium hydroxide. The sodium
hydroxide as base substance and acetic acid as acid substance where the concentration of
acetic acid is unknown. Given that the concentration of the base are 0.6 M. By using titration
with a standardized sodium hydroxide solution, the molarity of the solution and the percent
by mass of acetic acid in vinegar have been determined, thus fulfilling the objective of this
experiment.
Each of the experiment were repeated twice as to increase the accuracy of the result. From
the calculated results, the molarity of sodium hydroxide for the first and second titration in
the first experiment are 0.6122 M and 0.6133 M respectively. The average molarity of
sodium hydroxide is 0.6118 M. For the second experiment, the calculated molarity of acetic
acid in vinegar for the first and second titration are 0.56 M and 0.57 M respectively. The
average molarity of acetic acid is 1.0565 M. The average percent by mass of acetic acid in
vinegar that we got through this experiment is 3.393%. The significance of percent by mass
and molarity of solution in this experiment is that it tells whether the solution is either diluted
or concentrated solution.
The sudden fluctuation in the pH occurred in both of the experiment. This is because of
some of the hydrogen ions are gradually neutralized with the increment volume of NaOH.
Thus, a sudden sharp increase in pH occurred as sufficient volume of NaOH is added into
the acid solution.

Conclusion
Through the experiment, the equivalence point for the experiment 1 at volume of sodium hydroxide
neutralized KHP is at 12 mL and the pH at equivalence point is 9.3925, while in experiment 2 is at 9
mL and the pH is 8.155. The molarity of sodium hydroxide is 0.6118 M while the molarity of acetic
acid in vinegar is 0.565. Then, for the percent mass of acetic acid in vinegar is 3.393%.

Based on the findings, it can be concluded that, the greater the mass of solute in the acid solution,
the more concentrated the solution becomes. Hence, the higher the molarity and more volume of
NaOH needed to neutralize the acid.
Recommendations
1. Ensure that the position of eye is directly perpendicular to the meniscus when reading
the volume of solution to avoid parallax error.
2. Rinse beakers thoroughly with distilled water and the dried to avoid any effect on the
results.
3. Carry the experiment 3 times to get a more accurate result.
4. Ensure the burette does not have any air bubbles to ensure the correct measurement
was added.
References
1. http://web.lemoyne.edu/giunta/chm151L/vinegar.html (October, 2016)
2. Arun Syamal (2008), Living Science Chemistry, 10th Edition, Ratna Sagar P. Ltd, India, p.p 37-
66
3. Lab manual.

Appendix