Pearson BTEC Level 3 Applied Science

UNIT 2:
Practical Scientific
Procedures & Techniques

Learning Aim A:
Undertake titration and
colorimetry to determine
the concentration of
solutions
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 Part 1: Titration
In this titration, you shall prepare a standard solution of Na2CO3 and titrate this against a HCl solution of
unknown concentration. Once you have determined the concentration of the HCl solution you shall then
determine the concentration of an unknown NaOH solution also by titration.

You should record all details for this assignment in your unit 2 lab book and then use these notes to write
up a neat lab report. You must justify each step taken throughout the practical, discussing:
 Safety
 Accuracy
 Improvements

Please ensure the signed and dated observation form is attached when submitting this assignment

Step 1: Safety
Perform a risk assessment for the chemicals to be used; Sodium carbonate (Na2CO3) and dilute hydrochloric
acid (HCl). You should evaluate the safety at each stage of the titration also in terms of the method and
equipment being used.

Step 2: Calibrate the balance

Follow the instructions provided from the manufacturer to calibrate the balance. Make notes on the method
in your lab book.

Step 3: Make up a standard solution of sodium carbonate

 Weigh ~ 1 g of sodium carbonate into a weighing boat using a spatula (remember to tare the balance
first). Record your exact mass measurements in a table like the one below.

Mass of weighing boat + Na2CO3 (g)

Mass of empty weighing boat (g)

Mass of Na2CO3 used (g)

 Tip the solid carefully into a clean 250 cm3 beaker.

 Re-weigh the empty weighing boat using the same balance. Record your mass measurement in the
table above.
 Dissolve the solid in the beaker in ~100 cm3 of distilled water (use a glass rod for stirring to ensure that
the solid has fully dissolved).
 Using a funnel, transfer the Na2CO3 solution you have made into a clean 250 cm3 volumetric flask
(previously rinsed with distilled water). Rinse the beaker and glass rod with water from a wash bottle
into the volumetric flask so as not to lose any Na2CO3.
 Carefully add more water from the wash bottle up to the graduation mark on the volumetric flask (the
bottom of the meniscus should sit on the graduation mark when checked at eye level).
 Place the stopper on the volumetric flask and shake thoroughly to mix the solution.
 Label your volumetric flask with your name and the exact concentration of your solution (see next page)
with a sharpie pen.

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How to calculate the exact concentration of your standard Na2CO3 solution:

(i) First, calculate the amount, in moles, of Na2CO3 used:

amount (in moles) = mass (in grams) / molar mass (in g mol-1)

Answer = ........................................ mol

(ii) Next, calculate the concentration of the 250 cm3 solution that you have made:

concentration (in mol dm-3) = amount (in moles) / volume (in dm3)

Answer = ........................................ mol dm-3

Step 4: Calibrate the pipette

 Weigh a dry, empty beaker. Take a pipette and pipette filler. Measure out 25cm3 of distilled water into
the beaker. Re-weigh the beaker and record your results in a table similar to the one below. Comment
on your results.
Density = mass / volume

Mass of empty beaker (g)

Mass of beaker + 25cm3 water (g)

Mass of 25cm3 water (g)

Temperature (0C)

Density of water at this temperature

Actual volume delivered

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Step 5: Calibrate the pH meter
 Follow the instructions provided from the manufacturer to calibrate the pH meter. Make notes on the
method in your lab book. Explain why you are not using a pH meter for the titration.

Step 6: Set up the titration

 Pour a little dilute HCl into a small beaker, label the beaker as HCl. Use this to rinse the burette,
including below the tap. Discard the washings. Clamp the burette.
 Using a clean funnel (and ensuring that the tap on the burette is closed), pour in the dilute HCl into the
clamped burette. Pour out a small amount from the tap of the burette into the sink to ensure that the
space below the tap is filled and that no air bubble is present here.
 Transfer a small amount of your standard Na2CO3 solution into a small clean beaker and label it as
sodium carbonate. Use this Na2CO3 solution in the beaker for rinsing your pipette with the aid of a
pipette filler (throw the washings away).
 Using a 25 cm3 pipette and pipette filler, transfer exactly 25 cm3 of your Na2CO3 solution into a 250
cm3 conical flask (you should rinse your conical flask beforehand with distilled water but NOT with
any Na2CO3 solution. Ensure that there are no air bubbles in the pipette). Remember, you fill your
pipette so that the bottom of the meniscus sits on the graduation line.
 Add 2-3 drops of methyl orange indicator solution to the sodium carbonate in the conical flask.
 Place the conical flask beneath the burette. Place a white tile beneath the conical flask containing the
25 cm3 of Na2CO3.

Step 7: Perform the titration

 Perform a trial titration first: Record your initial burette reading, to the nearest 0.05 cm3, in the table
below. Add the acid from the burette into the Na2CO3 solution in the conical flask, until the end point
is reached. Record your final burette reading, to the nearest 0.05 cm3, in the table below.

yellow → orange → red

(alkali) (endpoint) (acid)

 Now carry out an accurate titration, adding the acid slowly in order to obtain an accurate end point.
Repeat until you obtain two titres that are within 0.1 cm3 of each other (concordant).

Trial Run 1 Run 2 Run 3

Final burette reading (cm3)

Initial burette reading (cm3)

Titre (cm3)

Mean titre to one decimal

place (cm3)

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Step 8: Determine the concentration of the dilute HCl solution

 Write a balanced equation for the reaction.

..........................................................................................................................................................................

 Calculate the amount, in moles of Na2CO3 in the 25 cm3 used in the titration.

amount (in moles) = concentration (in mol dm-3) x volume (in dm3)
Note: 1 dm3 = 1000 cm3

Answer = ........................................ mol

 Using the molar relationships in the equation above, calculate the amount, in moles, of HCl required to
neutralise 25cm3 of Na2CO3.

Answer = ........................................ mol

 Calculate the unknown concentration of the HCl using your mean titre.
concentration (in mol dm-3) = amount (in moles) / volume (in dm3)

Answer = ........................................ mol dm-3

Step 9: Titration of dilute HCl against NaOH

 Repeat the titration method described above, this time titrating the dilute HCl, who’s concentration you
should now know, against the NaOH solution provided of unknown concentration. You should take
care with the rinsings of each piece of glassware. You shall use phenolphthalein indicator for this
titration.

pink → colourless
(alkali) (acid)

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 Trial Run 1 Run 2 Run 3

Final burette reading (cm3)

Initial burette reading (cm3)

Titre (cm3)

Mean titre to one decimal

place (cm3)

Step 10: Determine the concentration of the NaOH solution

 Write a balanced equation for the reaction.

..........................................................................................................................................................................

 Calculate the amount, in moles of HCl used in the titration using your mean titre.

amount (in moles) = concentration (in mol dm-3) x volume (in dm3)
Note: 1 dm3 = 1000 cm3

Answer = ........................................ mol

 Using the molar relationships in the equation above, calculate the amount, in moles, of NaOH in the
25cm3 used in the titration.

Answer = ........................................ mol

 Calculate the unknown concentration of the NaOH.

concentration (in mol dm-3) = amount (in moles) / volume (in dm3)

Answer = ........................................ mol dm-3

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Step 12: Evaluation
 The teacher shall tell you the actual unknown concentrations for the dilute HCl and the NaOH solutions.
You must compare your results with the teacher values by calculating the percentage difference.
Discuss accuracy, any improvements you could have made and safety considerations. Where no
problems are identified justify your technique/method. You must also compare your results with those
of other learners, again calculating the percentage difference.

Part 2: Colorimetry
In this experiment, you shall prepare standard solutions of CuSO4 and produce a calibration graph. You
shall then use this calibration graph to determine the unknown concentration of two solutions of CuSO4.

You should record all details for this assignment in your unit 2 lab book and then use these notes to write
up a neat lab report. You must justify each step taken throughout the practical, discussing:
 Safety
 Accuracy
 Improvements

Please ensure the signed and dated observation form is attached when submitting this assignment

Step 1: Safety
Perform a risk assessment for CuSO4 and the equipment being used.

Step 2: prepare standard solutions of CuSO4.5H2O

 You need to prepare 100cm3 of a 0.25 mol dm-3 solution of CuSO4.5H2O. Perform the calculations
below.

How to prepare 100cm3 of a 0.25M CuSO4.5H2O solution:

(i) First, calculate the amount, in moles, of 0.25M CuSO4.5H2O required:

amount (in moles) = concentration (in moldm-3) x volume (in dm3)

Answer = ........................................ mol

(ii) Next, calculate the mass, in grams, of CuSO4.5H2O required:

mass (in grams) = amount (in moles) x molar mass (in g mol-1)

Answer = ........................................ mol dm-3

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 Weigh out the exact mass of CuSO4.5H2O required. Do you need to calibrate the balance?
 Dissolve the CuSO4.5H2O in some water, transfer to a clean 100cm3 volumetric flask – how are you
ensuring accuracy?
 Add more distilled water until the meniscus sits on the graduation line. Give the volumetric flask a
good shake.

Step 3: Absorbance readings from the colorimeter

 Turn on the colorimeter. Select the 580 filter which is yellow. Select absorbance by pressing ‘Abs’ on
the colorimeter.
 Add some distilled water to a clean cuvette. Ensure that the sides of the cuvette are wiped clean – also
try not to leave any grease from your fingers on the cuvette. This is your reference cuvette.
 Place the reference cuvette into the colorimeter and press the ‘R’ button for reference. This procedure
zero’s the colorimeter.
 Replace the reference cuvette with another cuvette which has been filled with some of the 0.25M
CuSO4.5H2O solution that you prepared.
 Press the ‘T’ button on the colorimeter to record its absorbance. Record the result in the table below.
 Next, you must prepare 10cm3 samples of 0.20, 0.15, 0.10 and 0.05M solutions of CuSO4.5H2O by
diluting the stock 0.25M solution. You must add the required amount of 0.25M CuSO4.5H2O and make
up the remaining volume to 10cm3 with distilled water. Record the absorbance for each one.

Concentration Unknown Unknown

required
0.25 0.20 0.15 0.10 0.05 0.00 1 2
Volume of 0.25M
CuSO4.5H2O
required
Volume of water
required to make
up the 10cm3
Absorbance
reading 1

Absorbance
reading 2

Absorbance
reading 3

Mean
Absorbance

Step 4: Calibration graph

 Plot a graph of mean absorbance against concentration for the first six values in the table above. You
may use a computer program to do this. Draw a line of best fit through the points. You must include
this graph with your submitted assignment.
 Using your calibration curve, determine the concentration of the two unknown solutions.

Step 5: Evaluation
 The teacher shall tell you the actual unknown concentrations. You must compare your results with the teacher values by
calculating the percentage difference. Discuss accuracy, any improvements you could have made and safety considerations.
Where no problems are identified justify your technique/method. You must also compare your results with those of other
learners, again calculating the percentage difference.

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