INVESTIGATION ON THE

MOLARITY OF ETHANOIC
ACID THROUGH THE USE OF
TITRATION AGAINST
SODIUM HYDORXIDE
A practice individual assessment

You Kwang Park

You.kwang.park@sph.ac.id
 Park, 1

Introduction
Titration is often used to find the exact concentration of a solution, in a process

known as standardization. It involves reacting a carefully measured volume of the solution

whose concentration is not known, with another solution whose concentration is known

exactly, known as the standard solution. By titration we can determine the exact volumes if

the two solutions needed to react together to achieve the equivalence point. From these data

and the stoichiometric ratio of the neutralization reaction, the concentration of the solution of

unknown concentration can be determined.

Additionally, as we have recently learned the topic of acid and bases, this experiment

is a good activity to engage our knowledge about the properties and relations of acid and

bases.

In the first part of the experiment, a standard solution of HCl of concentration 0.10

mol dm-3 is used to standardize a solution of NaOH. The indicator used to determine the

equivalence point (pH 8.0 ~ 10.0) is phenolphthalein.

In the second part of this experiment, the standardization solution of NaOH is used in

titration against oxidized ethanoic acid (vinegar). From the results the concentration of

ethanoic acid in vinegar can be determined

 Park, 2

Background Information
As this individual research aims to identify the concentration of sodium chloride and
ethanoic acid in vinegar, the equation which defines the relation of molarity, moles, and
volume is required. That equation is:
Mole = Molarity (mol dm-3) * Volume (dm3).
Using the equation above, we will be calculating the concentration of sodium hydroxide and
ethanoic acid in vinegar.
In chapter 8, we have learned that, during titration, the number of moles of acid/ base
needed to fully react and reach the equivalence point is equivalent to the number of moles of
base/ acid, as long as they have the same molar ratio. That is because hydrogen ions or
hydroxide ions from each side needs to fully react together to form H20 (water), which has a
neutral pH of 7. Furthermore, the addition of indicator phenolphthalein will easily identify
the instant at which all hydroxide and hydrogen ions have combined as phenolphthalein
changes color from transparent to pink at the range of pH of 8~10, which is close to neutral.

Materials
Name of Material Volume of material Number of Uncertainty
materials
Hydrochloric acid 25.00cm3 2 ±0.100cm3
(0.100 mol dm-3)
Sodium Hydroxide 25.00cm3 4 ±0.100cm3
solution
(??? mol dm-3)
Vinegar 05.00cm3 2 ±0.100cm3
(??? mol dm-3)
Phenolphthalein 2 drops 4 Is not significant
Indicator

Apparatus used
Name of apparatus Measurement Uncertainty Amount
Reading
Conical flask 100ml 1ml 4
Pipette 25ml and 5ml 0.1ml 2
Burette 25ml 0.1ml 1
Beaker 250ml 1ml 1
Funnel Not necessary Not necessary 1
 Park, 3

Method for standardization of sodium hydroxide

1. Fill a burette with the solution of NaOH(aq) of unknown concentration.

2. Pipette 25.00cm3 of the standard solution of solution of 0.10 mol dm-3 HCl(aq)

onto a clean conical flask.

3. Add a few drops of the indicator phenolphthalein solution to the conical flask and

stand it on a white tile or white paper.

4. Titrate the NaOH against the HCl, until the end point of the indicator observed,

and record the volume added from the burette.

5. Repeat the titration until the final values within 0.05cm3 are obtained.

Method for titration of sodium hydroxide and vinegar

1. Fill a burette with the solution of NaOH(aq) standardization in the previous

experiment (standardization of sodium hydroxide).

2. Pipette 5.00cm3 of vinegar onto a clean conical flask.

3. Add a few drops if the indicator phenolphthalein solution to the conical flask and

stand it on a white tile or white paper.

4. Titrate the NaOH against the vinegar, until the end of the indicator is observed,

and record the volume added from the burette.

5. Repeat the titration until the values within 0.05cm3 are obtained.
 Park, 4

Experiment Calibration
In this experiment, a precise measurement of the amount of sodium hydroxide titrated

is significant as even a single millimeter could change the final results. Therefore, to

minimize the uncertainty of this experiment, we have added a drop by drop of sodium

hydroxide when titrating to prevent sudden changes and to obtain an accurate amount of

sodium hydroxide used.

Secondly, as the quantitative data that indicated that the reaction is at equivalence

point is the change in color from transparent to pink, after the initial trial was accomplished,

we have set the intensity of pink from the first trial as the standard and calibrated our

following trials and experiments to match the same or at least similar intensity of pink.

Safety precautions

This experiment uses a very strong acid and base, so a chemical hazard is present.

These chemicals can easily corrode skin and, if in contact with any weak tissue such as the

eye, it could cause serious burns and other health issues such as blindness. To prevent any

catastrophes, a lab coat, protective goggles, and medical gloves were used during the entire

period of the experiments.

 Park, 5

Data collection

The data of volume of NaOH used for each trial in the experiment for standardization of

hydrogen is mentioned in the table below.

Volume NaOH Titration 1 / Trial 1 Titration 2 / Trial 2

End volume / cm3±0.05 16.5 18.2

Start volume / cm3±0.05 0.00 0

Titre / cm3±0.10 16.5 18.2

Using these data, we can identify that the average titre to reach equivalence between NaOH

and HCl is 17.4 cm3±0.10.

All the data were collected after the pink intensity was similar to the initial titration.

The data of volume of NaOH used for each trial in the experiment for titration of sodium

hydroxide and vinegar is mentioned in the table below.

Volume NaOH Titration 1 / Trial 1 Titration 2 / Trial 2

End volume / cm3±0.05 28.0 29..4

Start volume / cm3±0.05 0 0

Titre / cm3±0.10 28.0 29.4

Using these data, we can identify that the average titre to reach equivalence between NaOH

and ethanoic acid (vinegar) is 28.7 cm3±0.10.

 Park, 6

Analysis

Now, we have all the data needed to calculate the concentration of NaOH and

ethanoic acid. First, we need to identify the number of moles of HCl that reacted with NaOH.

To find this we use the equation,

Mole = Molarity (mol dm-3) * Volume (dm3).

Through this equation we can calculate that the mole of HCl that reacted is 0.025dm3 *

0.100mol dm-3 = 0.0025 moles. Then we must identify the molar ratio between HCl and

NaOH in this reaction. The balanced equation for this equation is,

NaOH + HCl  NaCl + H2O.

The molar ratio is 1:1, so we do not need any further steps. We can directly state that an equal

number of NaOH moles is needed to fully react with HCl, so there is also 0.0025moles of

NaOH in the amount of NaOH we used. Again, by using the molarity equation, we can

identify that the molarity (concertation) of NaOH solution is 0.0025moles / 0.01735dm3 =

0.144 mol dm-3.

Now, we have standardized the concentration of NaOH, so we will analyze the next

experiment.

When titrating sodium hydroxide against vinegar, which is an oxidized state of

ethanoic acid, we identified that 28.7cm3 of NaOH solution was needed. With this

information and using the molarity equation, we can calculate that the mol of NaOH used is,

0.144 mol dm-3 * 0.0287 dm3 = 0.00414 moles.

 Park, 7

Then, similarly to the first experiment, we need to find the mole ratio between NaOH and

CH3COOH (ethanoic acid). The balanced equation for this reaction is,

CH3COOH + NaOH  NaCH3COO + H2O.

This time, the mole ratio is 1:1 again. So, without further calculation we can conclude that the

amount of ethanoic acid used is 0.00414moles. With this value, the knowledge that we used

5.00cm3 of vinegar, and the molarity equation we can calculate that the molarity

(concentration) of ethanoic acid is 0.00414 mole / 0.005 dm3 = 0.827 mol dm-3.

Conclusion and evaluation

Through various uses of knowledge, we have learned in class, such as the relation

between acid and base used in titration, we were able to identify the molarities and moles of

NaOH and ethanoic acid. This experiment has fully engaged us to use various experiment

skills and pre-learnt knowledge and it has increased our understanding of the knowledge to a

greater degree.

However, if I were to redo this investigation, instead of doing two trials for each

experiment, I would do three, as three trials for a n experiment is the norm number of trials to

gain reliable data. Additionally, I will note down the specified concentration of the solutions

used, which should be written on the bottle, to compare the extent of deviation from the real

values. By dong so we may be able to identify certain factors that affects the experiment from

gaining the theoretical value.