Molar Mass and Ka for an unknown

weak acid.
























Thiago Prado
David Coe
07/11/2014
Section 1

Purpose: Understand and measure the pE of acid solutions, monitor and observe changes in pE as
sodium hydroxide is added. Determine the molarity, molar mass for acetic acid and the unknown acid.
Determine the K
u
using initial pE and initial concentration for both acids.

Introduction
Strong and weak acids
An acid is considered strong if it chemical reaction goes into completions, which means in a solution
with acid all the acid molecules ionizes, whereas weak acids contains a mixture of aqueous acid
molecules and ions. The degree to which acid ionizes depends on the concentration of the acid and the
equilibrium constant of ionization.
Acid ionization constant K
a
:
Consider a weak acid HA the equilibrium constant K
u
can be found based on the following reaction:
EA E
+
+ A
-

Thus, the equilibrium expressions for this reaction is:
K
u
=
|E
+
]|A
-
]
|EA]

The magnitude of K
u
indicates how strong a weak acid is. A large value is a stronger acid and small a
weaker one. Solutions with equal concentration of the two acids do not have the same pE.
Experimental
The quantity of moles of Na0B used to reach the endpoint the following calculation must be taken:
molcs No0E = u.1H- 1S mI -
1 I
1uuu mI
= 1.S - 1u
-3

At the endpoint the concentration of hydroxide ions is equal to the concentration of hydrogen ions which
means that the moles of acid in the sample will be the same number of No0H. For the molarity of acid
solution it is considered the ratio between the acid quantity by the total volume of the solution, which is
30 g of acid divided by its density, leading to:
Holority o Acctic ociJ =
1.S - 1u
-3
mol
Su g Acctic AciJ
1
g
mI
-
1uuu mI
1 I
= 4.SS - 1u
-2
H
The molar mass is founded by dividing the density by its molarity:
H
Acctc Acd
=
2.4
g
I
4.SS - 1u
-2
H
= SS.42
g
mol



Calculation of K
a
and pK
a
for the acetic and unknown acid
Acetic Acid
Average molar concentration of acetic acid:
A:g. Holor Conccntrotion =
4.SS - 1u
-3
+4.S2 - 1u
-3
2
= 4.S2 - 1u
-3
H
The average acetic acid pH:
pE =
S.69 +S.77
2
= S.7S
The concentration of E
+
is given by:
|E
+
] = 1u
-3.73
= 1.86 - 1u
-4
H
Initially, all molecules are associated, after the titration starts some molecules will dissociate into ions and
in the end the total dissociated ion concentration has to be subtracted from the initial concentration of
molecules:
|EA]
]nuI
= |EA] - |E
+
]
Based on the dissociated ions the equilibrium constant can be found:
K
u
=
|E
+
]|E
+
]
|EA] -|E
+
]
=
(1.86 - 1u
-4
)
2
4.SS - 1u
-2
-1.86 - 1u
-4
= 8.u2 - 1u
-7

And p
Ku
for acetic acid is:
p
Ku
= -log K
u
=6.1u
Unknown Acid
Then, for the unknown acid the same steps are taken and the calculations are presented below:
A:g. Holor Conccntrotion =
4.SS - 1u
-3
+4.SS - 1u
-3
2
= 4.SS - 1u
-3
H
pE =
S.2u +S.21
2
= S.21
|E
+
] = 1u
-3.21
= 6.17 - 1u
-4
H
K
u
=
(6.17 - 1u
-4
)
2
4.SS - 1u
-2
-6.17 - 1u
-4
= 8.91 - 1u
-6

p
Ku
= S.uS

Acetic Acid Unknown
Concentration of
NaOH solution
0.1 M 0.1 M 0.1 M 0.1 M
Mass
concentration of
acid solution
2.4 g/m 2.4 g/m 1 g/m 1 g/m
Measured !H of
acid solution
".#$ ".%% ".21 ".2
&nitial 'uret
reading
"#.( m 4(.# m 44.) m "1.) m
*inal 'uret
reading
2".( m "2.4 m "1.) m 1).# m
Net +olume of
NaOH used
1" m 1".2 m 1" m 1".1 m
Moles of NaOH
re,uired to reac-
end!oint
1.S - 1u
-3
mol
1.S2
- 1u
-3
mol
1.S
- 1u
-3
mol
1.S - 1u
-3

mol
Moles of acid in
sam!le
1.S - 1u
-3
mol
1.S2
- 1u
-3
mol
1.S
- 1u
-3
mol
1.S - 1u
-3

mol
Molarit. of Acid
/olution
4.SS - 1u
-2
H 4.S2 - 1u
-2
H 4.SS - 1u
-2
H 4.SS - 1u
-2
H
Calculated molar
mass of Acid
((.42 g/mol ((.(# g/mol #$.2) g/mol #$.2) g/mol
&dentit. of
unknow acid onl.
Acetic Acid
Acetic
Acid
0ro!anic 0ro!anic
Table 1: Acid pertinent data and NaOH amount used during the laboratory.
Conclusion
Considering that both acids are weak, it`s possible to affirm, based on Ko values that Propanic is a
stronger (but still weak) acid than Acetic, because more acid molecules were dissociated in its solution.
Both aren`t strong acids, once some acids molecules remained associated at equilibrium. Sulfuric acid is a
strong acids and has a wide range of applications including domestic acidic drain
cleaner,
[7]
electrolyte in lead-acid batteries and various cleaning agents. It is also a central substance in
the chemical industry. Acetic acid is weak acid, is an organic compound and is an important chemical
reagent and industrial chemical, mainly used in the production of cellulose acetate for photographic
film and polyvinyl acetate for wood glue, as well as synthetic fibers and fabrics.

Post-Lab Questions
1)
a. Lower pH means lower concentration of |E
+
] and dissociation of acid molecules leading to a lower K
u

value.
b. A wrong value of NaOH leads to higher noted quantity of acid in the sample and consequently a
different acid concentration value which would increase K
u
.
c. It means a lower concentration of acid molecules and a higher K
u
.
2)
a. Lower pE would not change the Molar mass of the unknown acid because it is not related to the
density or the molarity of the acid.
b. It means a higher noted concentration of acid in the sample and consequently a lower molar mass.
c. A lower density means a lower molar mass, they are directly proportional variables.
References:
Burdge, J. McGraw-Hill Science; 3rd edition (January 10, 2013) Chemistry, Third Edition,