Experiment

14
Saltwater Conductivity:

The Effect of Concentration

If an ionic compound is dissolved in water, it dissociates into ions and the resulting solution will
conduct electricity. Dissolving solid sodium chloride in water releases ions according to the
equation:
NaCl(s)  → Na+(aq) + Cl-(aq)
In this experiment, you will study the effect of increasing the concentration of an ionic
compound on conductivity. Conductivity will be measured as concentration of the solution is
gradually increased by the addition of concentrated NaCl drops. The same procedure will be
used to investigate the effect of adding other solutions with the same concentration (1.0 M), but
different numbers of ions in their formulas: aluminum chloride, AlCl3, and calcium chloride,
CaCl2. A computer-interfaced conductivity probe will be used to measure conductivity of the
solution. Conductivity is measured in microsiemens (µS).

Figure 1

MATERIALS
Macintosh or IBM-compatible computer 100-mL beaker
Serial Box Interface or ULI distilled water
Data Logger 1.0 M NaCl solution
Vernier Conductivity Probe 1.0 M AlCl3 solution
ring stand 1.0 M CaCl2 solution
utility clamp stirring rod
Graphical Analysis (optional)

PROCEDURE
1. Obtain and wear goggles.
2. Get 70 mL of distilled water in a clean 100-mL beaker.
3. Prepare the conductivity probe for data collection.
• Plug the conductivity probe into the adapter cable in Channel 1 of the CBL.
• Set the selection switch on the amplifier box of the probe to the 0-2000 µS range.
• Use the link cable to connect the CBL System to the TI Graphing Calculator. Firmly press
in the cable ends.

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 Experiment 14

4. Assemble the conductivity probe, utility clamp, and ring stand as shown in Figure 1. Be sure
the probe is clean and dry before beginning the experiment.
5. Turn on the CBL unit and the calculator. Start the CHEMBIO program and proceed to the
MAIN MENU.
6. Set up the calculator and CBL for a conductivity probe and a calibration of 0 to 2000 µS.
• Select SET UP PROBES from the MAIN MENU.
• Enter “1” as the number of probes.
• Select CONDUCTIVITY from the SELECT PROBE menu.
• Enter “1” as the channel number.
• Select USE STORED from the CALIBRATION menu.
• Select M 0-2000 MICS from the CONDUCTIVITY menu.

7. Set up the calculator and CBL for data collection.

• Select COLLECT DATA from the MAIN MENU.

• Select TRIGGER/PROMPT from the DATA COLLECTION menu. Follow the directions
on the calculator screen to allow the system to warm up, then press ENTER .

8. Before adding any salt solution:

• Carefully raise the beaker and its contents up around the conductivity probe until the hole
near the probe end is completely submerged in the solution being tested. Important: Since
the two electrodes are positioned on either side of the hole, this part of the probe must be
completely submerged as shown in Figure 1.
• Monitor the conductivity of the distilled water displayed on the CBL screen for 4-5 seconds
(the unit of conductivity is the microsiemens, µS).
• Press TRIGGER on the CBL, and then enter “0” (the volume, in drops). The conductivity and
volume values have now been saved for the first trial. This gives the conductivity of the
water before any salt solution is added.
• Lower the beaker away from the probes.
• Record the conductivity value in your data table (round to the nearest 1 µS).

9. You are now ready to begin adding salt solution.

• Select MORE DATA.

• Add 1 drop of salt solution to the distilled water. Stir to ensure thorough mixing.
• Carefully raise the beaker and its contents up around the conductivity probe until the hole
near the probe end is completely submerged in the solution being tested.
• Briefly swirl the beaker contents. Monitor the conductivity of the solution for 4-5 seconds.
• Press TRIGGER , and then enter “1” (the volume, in drops). The conductivity and volume
values have now been saved for the second trial.
• Lower the beaker away from the probes.
• Record the conductivity value in your data table.

10. Repeat the Step 9 procedure, entering “2” this time. Record the conductivity value in your
data table.

11. Continue this procedure, adding 1-drop portions of salt solution, measuring conductivity, and
entering the total number of drops added—until a total of 8 drops have been added.

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 Saltwater Conductivity: The Effect of Concentration

12. Select STOP AND GRAPH from the DATA COLLECTION menu when you have finished
collecting data. Examine the data points along the displayed graph of conductivity vs.
volume. As you move the cursor right or left, the volume (X) and conductivity (Y) values of
each data point are displayed below the graph. Confirm the conductivity and volume data
pairs you recorded in your data table.

13. To analyze the relationship between conductivity and volume, use this method to calculate
the linear-regression statistics for your data. Then plot the linear regression curve on your
graph.

• Press ENTER , then select NO to return to the MAIN MENU.

• Select FIT CURVE from the MAIN MENU.
• Select LINEAR L 1, L2 (LINEAR c 1, c 2 on the TI-92). The linear-regression statistics
for these two lists are displayed for the equation in the form:
y = ax + b

where x is volume, y is conductivity, a is the slope, and b is the y-intercept. Record the
slope, a, in your data table.
• To display the linear-regression curve on the graph of conductivity vs. volume, press ENTER
, then select SCALE FROM 0 from the SCALE DATA menu. Note: Since increasing the
volume (drops) of NaCl increases the concentration of NaCl in the solution, the graph
actually represents the relationship between conductivity and concentration.

14. (optional) Use the TI-Graph Link cable and program to transfer the graph of conductivity vs.
volume to a Macintosh or IBM-compatible computer. Print a copy of the graph.

15. Dispose of the beaker contents as directed by your teacher.

16. Press ENTER , then choose to repeat the data collection by selecting YES.

17. Repeat Steps 2-16, this time using 1.0 M AlCl3 solution.

18. Repeat Steps 2-15, this time using 1.0 M CaCl2 solution.

PROCESSING THE DATA

1. Describe the appearance of each of the three curves on your graph.

2. Describe the change in conductivity as the concentration of the NaCl solution was increased
by the addition of NaCl drops. What kind of mathematical relationship does there appear to
be between conductivity and concentration?

3. Write a chemical equation for the dissociation of NaCl, AlCl3, and CaCl2 in water.

4. Using graph paper or Graphical Analysis, plot one graph showing all three sets of data
(NaCl, AlCl3, and CaCl2). Plot conductivity (in µS) on the y-axis, and volume (in drops) on
the x-axis. Draw (or display using Graphical Analysis software) a best-fit linear regression
line on each of the three plots.

5. Based on the graph you plotted in Step 4 and your recorded slopes, which graph had the
largest slope value? The smallest? Since all solutions had the same original concentration
(1.0 M), what accounts for the difference in the slope of the three plots? Explain.

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Experiment 14

DATA TABLE

Drops Conductivity (µS)

NaCl AlCl3 CaCl2
0 _________ _________ _________
1 _________ _________ _________
2 _________ _________ _________
3 _________ _________ _________
4 _________ _________ _________
5 _________ _________ _________
6 _________ _________ _________
7 _________ _________ _________
8 _________ _________ _________

Solution Slope, m

1.0 M NaCl _________

1.0 M AlCl3 _________
1.0 M CaCl2 _________

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