ACID-BASE TITRATIONS: ANALYSIS OF ANTACID TABLETS

Aguinaldo, John Jay Mar

Alberto, Mark David B.
Ang, Dosson Charles
Uwizeye, Ruth

INORGANIC AND ORGANIC CHEMISTRY – LABORATORY

Engr. Wilfredo Aguinaldo

De La Salle University-Dasmariñas
Dasmariñas, Cavite Philippines

ABSTRACT
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The neutralization of the pH level of the solution was achieved by the process of simple
titration. This procedure was done by the students in order to be familiarized with how titration
is done. Using antacid medicine, the students analyzed its reactive property with hydrochloric
acid dyed with phenolphthalein indicator. Two trials were done, the first antacid tablet was 0.72
g and the second was 0.66 g. These were reacted with 50 mL of 0.1 M HCl in an Erlenmeyer
flask each. And by titration, the solution gained a pale pink color. The first one needed 6.5 mL
of 0.1 M NaOH, which means that 0.1586 g of NaOH reacted with the solution, and the second
needed only 3.1 mL of 0.1 M NaOH, which means that 0.171 g of NaOH reacted with the
mixture. The pale pink color indicates that the solution has obtained a pH level of less acidic.
This is because phenolphthalein indicator produces pink color in solutions with pH level of 8
and produces a darker shade of pink when the pH level increases in its scale numbering. By
these results, the students concluded the second trial to be more effective than the first one
even though only a smaller amount of NaOH was needed to produce the pale pink color of the
solution indicating alkalinity.
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INTRODUCTION

Solutions that can be found naturally, or artificially synthesize contain properties that characterize
them from each other. One property that these solutions have is their pH level. This, pH level, is a
solution’s property that defines the power of Hydrogen, which is an important component in most of the
chemical reactions. Lower pH level means that the solution has a higher number of hydrogen
ions(protons) while higher pH level contains low number of hydrogen ions(protons), these solutions are
called Acidic and Alkaline respectively. One example of an acidic solution is stomach acid.
(1)Antacid tablets are medicine that is widely used in self-medication. They are taken in when one

feels some conditions of heartburn, acid indigestion and/or sour stomach. These conditions might be
caused by excessive hydrochloric acid in the stomach, which might result in the spastic backflow of this
acid content to the esophagus.
Antacid medication may contain some Al(OH)3 or Mg(OH)2 or both to counteract stomach acidity
by reacting with the excess hydrochloric acid. The chemical compounds found in antacid tablets react
with the hydrogen ions from the stomach acid to create H2O molecules which is known to have a pH level
of 7(neutral pH) and thus relieve said medical conditions.

METHODOLOGY

In analyzing the effectiveness of antacid tablets, each tablet was pulverized and weighed in order
to measure the effect of a certain amount of this medicine. After it has been crushed, the powder was
transferred in a 250 mL Erlenmeyer flask and was added with 50.0 mL of 0.1 M HCl. It was observed until
all the powder has been dissolved. Two to three drops of phenolphthalein indicator were added to the
mixture and then the whole solution was mixed thoroughly.
 With a prewashed(with NaOH) Base burette containing 0.1 M NaOH, the mixture was titrated until
the solution gained a faint pink color.
The experiment was done twice for comparison.

DATA AND RESULTS

The chemical equation illustrating the reaction between HCl and NaOH in this experiment is:

HCl + NaOH → NaCl + H2O

The equation used to calculate the amount of neutralized HCl is:

N HCl x V HCl = N NaOH x V NaOH

Since both HCl and NaOH have 1 equivalence point per mole, the following equation may also be
used,
M HCl x V HCl = M NaOH x V NaOH

No. of Trials 1 2
Weight of the tablet 0.72 g 0.66 g
6.5 mL (43.5 mL left in the base 3.1 mL (46.9 mL left in the base
Final Volume of NaOH used
burette) burette)
Initial Volume of NaOH 50.0 mL 50.0 mL
Volume of NaOH used 6.5 mL 3.1 mL
Molarity of NaOH 0.1 M 0.1 M
Molarity of HCl 0.1 M 0.1 M
Volume of HCl 50.0 mL 50.0 mL

wt. of HCl = MW HCl [ (volume in liter HCl)(molarity HCl) – (volume in liter NaOH)(molarity NaOH) ]
MW HCl = (2)36.46 g/mol

Weight of HCl that has reacted

0.1586 g 0.1710 g
with antacid tablet
Weight of HCl / gram of antacid
0.22 0.26
tablet

DISCUSSION

In the experiment, 2-3 drops of phenolphthalein indicator are added. (3)This indicator is one of the
most common pH level indicator where when it is acidic(pH level is lower than 8) the solution is
transparent and when it is alkaline(pH level is 8 and above) the solution gains a pink color and is a darker
shade when it has a very high pH level. It is shown that the second tablet had a higher reaction with the
HCl. Though the second antacid only weighed 0.66 g, only 3.1 mL is needed to acquire the end point
where the solution gains a pale pink color. The weight of HCl that reacted with the antacid is 0.171 g and
its effects per gram of the antacid is 0.26.

(How do you know if all the HCl has been neutralized by the NaOH?)

Due to the phenolphthalein indicator, when HCl has been neutralized with NaOH, a pale pink
color would be observed.
(Why do you need to dissolve the antacid as completely as possible in the 0.1 M HCl?)

It is needed for the antacid to completely dissolve in the 0.1 M HCl to have an accurate
measurement of its reaction with the acid. And to let the antacid do its work, leaving some of the acidic
property in the solution to be neutralized by the titration of NaOH.

CONCLUSION

From the experiment, the students were able to practice titration procedure. The concept of acid
and base solutions was also introduced and manipulated. Their reaction was also illustrated in the
experiment showing a pale pink solution and in a chemical equation containing the reaction between HCl
and NaOH which gives a product of saltwater.
The experiment showed that though the second trial had less antacid medicine, it still was more
effective than the first trial.

REFERENCES

Textbooks and Laboratory Manuals

(1) Samonte, J. L. & Figueroa L. V. (2014). General Chemistry Laboratory Manual. 4th Edition. EDSA,
Quezon City: C & E Publishing, Inc.

Articles and Publications

(2) National Center for Biotechnology Information. PubChem Database. Hydrochloric acid, CID=313,
https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/Hydrochloric-acid (accessed on Oct. 5, 2019)
(3) National Center for Biotechnology Information. PubChem Database. Phenolphthalein, CID=4764,

https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/Phenolphthalein (accessed on Oct. 5, 2019)