LAD 16.

2 (pg 1 of 1) Determination of the Molar Mass of a Solid Acid

Introduction
Volumetric analysis by titration can be used to determine the molar mass of a solid acid.

PreLAD
1. Make up a data / results table for three trials.
2. Answer the problem below - support your answer with calculations on the back of your data table.
• Suppose you measured out 0.20 g of tartaric acid, a diprotic acid, H2C4H4O6 , determine the volume of 0.10 M sodium
hydroxide required to neutralize this acid.

Procedure – Read the entire procedure before starting.

A. Follow good lab procedures by preparing the base buret by rinsing out the buret with the base solution, being sure to allow it to
run through the tip. Then fill the buret with fresh base solution.

B. Mass approximately 0.2 g of solid acid (Be sure and record the exact mass) into a clean 125 ml flask. Dissolve the acid in
enough water to cover the stirring bar. Do not be concerned if it does not completely dissolve. As the titration proceeds it will
continue to dissolve.

C. Drop in the stirring bar, and add 3-4 drops of phenolphthalein. Be sure and read the initial volume of the base in the buret. You
should start all trials with at least 40 ml of base in the buret.

D. Allow the base to run into the dissolved solid acid until the indicator is close to changing. Slow the flow of the base when
getting close to the endpoint so that you will stop the flow of base as close to the endpoint as possible. When one drop is
added, and the faint pink color does not disappear, you have reached the endpoint (You can assume that this is also close to
the equivalence point – when the moles of acid is neutralized by the moles of base.)

E. Read the final volume in the buret, and record it in your data table.

F. Repeat this trial for three other solid acids

Processing the Data

Calculate all trials separately.
1. Knowing the molarity and volume of the base used to neutralize the acid, calculate the number of moles of base used to
neutralize the acid.
2. Assume that the endpoint is the equivalence point thus the moles of base = moles of acid.
3. If the acid is polyprotic, the moles of the solid acid will be one-half or one-third of the number of moles of acid neutralized.
4. Knowing the mass of solid acid, and now the number of moles of solid acid, calculate its molar mass.
• Remember that molar mass is a ratio: mass / # moles

Disposal and Clean Up

• Discard any small amount of excess acid and base down the sink with plenty of rinse water.
• Be sure the buret is flushed (especially through the tip) and clean and hung to dry with the stopcock open.
• Be sure hands are washed before leaving the laboratory.

Questions to ponder
1. Why can extra water be added to the acid in the flask before titrating against the base, yet the results are not affected
adversely?

2. When doing any titration, why are at least three (perhaps more) trials necessary?

3. Describe the assumed relationship between moles of acid and moles of base when the endpoint is reached in a titration.

4. However it is not always true that [H+] and [OH-], only under certain circumstances does the endpoint actually occur at pH.
What affects the pH of the endpoint?