ACID-BASE TITRATION

Aim:
To find the end point in the
titration of hydrochloric acid,
HCl and sodium hydroxide,
NaOH solution using an
acid-base indicator
Apparatus:

burette, 25cm3 pipette,

pipette filler, retort stand and
clamp, white tile and 250cm 3

conical flask.
Materials:

0.1 mol dm-3 hydrochloric

acid, HCl,
0.1 mol dm-3 sodium
hydroxide, NaOH and
phenolphthalein
Procedure:
1. Rinse a clean burette with a small
amount of 0.1 mol dm-3 hydrochloric acid,
HCl. Clamp the burette on a retort stand.
2. Fill the burette with 0.1 mol dm-3
hydrochloric acid, HCl.
3. Record the initial burette reading.
4. Pipette 25cm3 of 0.1 mol dm-3 sodium
hydroxide, NaOH solution into conical
flask.
5. Add two or three drops of
phenolphthalein to the 25cm3 of 0.1
mol dm-3 sodium hydroxide, NaOH
solution and shake it well. Observe
the colour of the solution.
6. Place the conical flask with its
content below the burette. Place the
white tile below the conical flask.
7. Add hydrochloric acid, HCl drop by
drop into the conical flask.
8. Swirl the conical flask.
9. When the colour of the mixture turns
paler, add the hydrochloric acid, HCl
a drop at a time while swirling the
flask.
10. Stop adding hydrochloric acid, HCl
as soon as the solution in the flask
turns colourless.
11. Record the final burette reading.
12. Repeat steps 1 to 11
twice. Tabulate your readings.
Results
Titration number 1 2 3

Final burette reading 24.25 25.25 24.65

(cm3)
Initial burette reading 0.15 1.20 0.60
(cm3)
Volume of hydrochloric 24.10 24.05 24.05
acid, HCl (cm3)
Discussion
1(a) Average volume of hydrochloric acid,
HCl used

= 24.10+24.05+24.05 cm3
3

= 24.07 cm3
3(a) To remove the water on the interior
surface of the burette do not dilute the
concentration of the hydrochloric acid.
(b) To get accurate initial reading of
hydrochloric acid.
(c) To obtain the accurate initial and
final readings.
(d) To ensure the sodium hydroxide in
the conical flask accurately be 25 cm3
4. To enable the change in colour of the
contents in the conical flask to be
seen clearly.
 Conclusion

The end point of neutralisation

between an acid and an alkali
can be determined by titration
method. The concentration of
sodium hydroxide, NaOH is