CM011L: CHEMISTRY FOR ENGINEERS (LABORATORY)

1ST Quarter SY 2018-2019

Vinegar Analysis (1)

Adonis, Adornado P.1, Tulay, Joseph Andrei Patrick I..2

1
Professor, School of Chemical, Biological, and Materials Engineering and Sciences, Mapúa University; 2Student, CM011L/B2, Mapúa University

ABSTRACT
The titration process is utilized to determine an unknown concentration of a solution with
another solution of known concentration. The titrant is the substance with a given molarity
and it usually the solution seen in the burette. while the titrand is the concentration and
volume of titrant reacts and determined the solution with unidentified molarity. In this
experiment, the titrant is a standardized NaOH and it used for household vinegar containing
CH3COOH. One trials were performed for the experiment. By gradually adding small
amounts of NaOH, using the burette, the equivalence point of the titration was
reached. The average percent CH3COOH by mass of the experiment is 3.87%. This is too
close in with the minimum federal standard of 4% acetic acid by mass. The result of some
errors it may be the inaccurate measurement may have been cause of error.

Keywords: titration, Acetic acid, household vinegar, Sodium hydroxide (NaOH) titrant

INTRODUCTION

Titration refers to the method of determining an unknown concentration of a solution with the use of another
solution with known concentration (Baguio & Butaran, 2009). In the experiment, there are two element that involve
in this experiment these are the titrant and titrand. The titrant is the substance with a given molarity and it usually the
solution seen in the burette On the other hand, the titrand is the concentration and volume of titrant reacts and determined
the solution with unidentified molarity. The more accurately the concentration of the solution of known concentration is
known, the more accurately the concentration of the unknown solution can be determined . (Chang & Goldsby,
2014).This process works by adding gradually small amounts of the titrant to the titrand.
In this experiment, there are three chemical compounds that are used, the CH3COOH as known the acetic acid, it
also the commercial vinegar sample used. Acetic acid is a weak acid and one of the simplest carboxylic acids. It is an
important industrial chemical that is used in the production of commercial products such as plastic bottles and acetate
for wood glue. Moderate amounts of it are more often used as a cleaning agent. It also regulates the acidity in some
consumable products (Knox, 2018).The other chemical compound used are the NaOH as the solution and the
Phenolphthalein where the indicator of solution. The aim of this experiment is to calculate for the percentage by mass of
acetic acid in using of result of the titration.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

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Preparing the setup

Calculating and determined the unknown values in

the Table 1.

compute the percentage by the mass of

CH3COOHH

Figure 1. The Flowchart Of The Experiment

The volume of the vinegar when neutralized with 25ml of the NaOH solution is needed. Afterwards, the volume of
Vinegar is calculated. From the borrowed laboratory equipment, the sterilized 250 mL Erlenmeyer Flask for the mixture of
the vinegar is used then 2 drops of indicator (Phenopthalein) is added. Titration setup - the setup that is consist of a rinsed
50mL burette with the required 5mL of the NaOh solution is assembled. Before starting the experiment, air pockets must be
eliminated from the tip of the burette. The 10-15 second rule is conducted when reading. The experiment is conducted –
when the setup is complete slowly drop the NaOh with the use of the burette to the flask, the flask should be swirling
continuously during the process until the endpoint is achieved. When achieved record the value of NaOH as the final
volume. Afterwards, the average percent by mass of the trials of acetic acid in vinegar is calculated.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

As the result of experiment, we gathered values to calculate the percentage by mass of acetic acid. We determined the
values that we needed in calculating the requirements in this experiment. In the experiment, the mass of the vinegar was
3.15g where in indicated in the Table 1. Data Sheet Values. For the first trial, our NaOH in burette was totally consumed by
19.0 mL to obtained the very light pink color of solution. Given the molar concentration of 0.010705 M of NaOH, the number
of moles (n) of the solution can be calculate by the equation 1

1L
19.0 mL NaOH x( )= 0.0190 L NaOH
1000 mL

n NaOH =MV (1)

mol
¿ 0.010705 NaOH x 0.0190=0.002033 mol
L

n NaOH =2.03 x 10−3 mol NaOH The number of moles is essential for the computation of the percent by mass of
acetic acid in vinegar. In Equation (2) shows the balanced equation of the reaction. Based in the balancing equation of
reaction it may seen that there are same numbers of moles of CH3COOH that will react to NaOH, the number of moles of
CH3COOH is equal to number of moles of NaOH in the reaction. Afterward, we get the mole of NaOH and now we

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1ST Quarter SY 2018-2019

convert the mole of NaOH in the grams of CH3COOH by using the molar mass of CH3COOH that seen in Equation (3).
Lastly, we can get the percentage by mass of CH3COOH by dividing the mass of CH3COOH over mass of vinegar that seen
in Equation (4).

C H 3 COO H (aq) + NaOH (aq) → NaCH 2 C O 2(aq) + H 2 O 2 (2)

1 mol CH H 3 COOH =1molNaOH

−3 1 mol C H 3 COOH
¿ 2.03 x 10 mol NaOH x ( ) (3)
1mol NaOH

nC H 3
COOH =2.03 x 10−3 mol C H 3 COOH

nC H 3 COOH =nC H 3 COOH x M MCH 3 COOH

−3 60.05 g C H 3 COOH
¿ 2.03 x 10 mol C H 3 COOH x
1mol C H 3 COOH

nC H 3 COOH =0.122 g C H 3 COOH

Percent: (4)

mC H COOH 0.122 g C H 3 COOH

%C H 3 COOH = 3
x 100 ¿ x 100
mvinegar 3.15 g vinegar

%C H 3 COOH =3.87 %

Table 1. Data Sheet Values

Brand of Vinegar or unknown no. Vinegar F
Mass of vinegar 3.15 g
Buret reading of NaOH,initial(mL) 0.0 mL
Buret reading of NaOH, final(mL) 19.0 mL
Volume of NaOH used (mL) 19.0 mL
Molar concentration of NaOH(mL) 0.010705
Moles of NaOH added(mol) 2.03 x 10-3 mol
Moles of CH3COOH in
2.03 x10-3 mol
vinegar(mol)
Mass of CH3COOH in vinegar (g) 0.122 g
Percent by mass of CH3COOH in 3.87 %

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vinegar (%)

Based on the result of experiment, we consumed the very light pink solution by 19.0 mL of NaOH of solution and by
inspection we determined, if the solution of NaOH is greater than 19.0 mL (NaOH>19.0 mL) it more probably become dark
pink, with this inspection we decrease the amount of volume of NaOH to sustain the ratio that we needed to get the very
light pink color. By computing we get the percent by mass of acetic acid in vinegar thus, we obtained the value of 3.94%
and it is close to the federal minimum standard of 4%.

Laboratory Questions

1. Part A.2. A 20-mL volume of water is added to the Erlenmeyer flask to prepare the sample for the titration. Explain
why this volume is not critical the analysis.

2. Part A.2. Previously boiled, deionized water is unavailable. In a hurry to pursue the analysis, deionized water (not
boiled) is added. How does this attempt to expedite the analysis affect the reported percent acetic acid in vinegar;
too high, too low, or unaffected? Explain.

3. Part A.2 and B.1. The 20 ml of water to the Erlenmeyer flask is to be previously boiled, deionized water. Since
water does absorb CO2 from the atmosphere and since CO2 dissolved in water cause it to be slightly acidic, will
the use of deionized water that has not been previously boiled caused the mass of acetic acid in the vinegar to be
calculated as too high or too low? Explain.

4. Part A.2 a. In determining the percent acetic acid in vinegar, the mass sample is measured rather than the volume.
Explain

The mass of the sample is measured to be used in computing for the percent of acetic acid

g C H 3 COOH
x 100=%C H 3 COOH
g Vinegar

b. If the vinegar were measured volumetrically (e.g. pipet), what additional piece of data would be needed to
complete the calculations for the experiment?

The measured of volume (mL) ca be convert into mass ( g) if the density (g/mL)of the vinegar is given through the
given

g
V ( mL ) x ρ =g Vinegar
mL

5. Part A.3. The burette is filled with the NaOH titrant and the initial volume reading is immediately recorded without
waiting the recommended 10-15 seconds. However, in Part B.1, the 10 – 15 seconds time lapse does occur before
the reading is made. Does this technique error result in an increase, a decrease, or have no effect on the reported
percent acetic acid in the vinegar? Explain.

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6. Part B.1. The endpoint of the titration is overshot. Does this technique error result in an increase, a decrease, or
have no effect on the reported percent acetic acid in the vinegar? Explain.

7. Part. B.1. The wall of the flask is periodically rinsed with the previously boiled, deionized water from the wash
bottle. Does this trimetric technique result in an increase, a decrease, or have no effect on the reported percent
acetic acid in the vinegar? Explain

8. Part B.1. A drop of NaOH titrant, dispensed from the burette, adheres to wall of the Erlenmeyer flask but is not
washed into the vinegar with the wash bottle. Does this error in technique result in the reported percent of acetic
acid being too high, too low, or unaffected? Explain.

Since the titrant of NaOH did not mis at all to the vinegar easily, the percent acetic acid will be too high. The drop of
NaOH has already left the burette and is already a part of the NaOH and must get to the vinegar to have accurate
result.

CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

In this experiment, we were able to determine the percentage mass of CH3COOH in vinegar by using the method of
titration. The concentration of the CH3COOH was calculated with the known molarity of NaOH and also the based used to
titrate the acid was a standardized NaOH.

In research we determined the minimum federal standard of acetic acid by mass were between four (4%) or five (5%)
percentage and our result in experiment, the average of acetic acid by mass was 3.87%. The result of error it may have been
inaccurate measurement readings.

The recommendation for this experiment is be gently while pouring the volume of NaOH in flask because based on our
experiment, we are careless that we don’t know if the volume of NaOH is pour to much the solution will be become dark
pink and by observation the volume of NaAOH are not be greater 21 mL of solution because the solution become dark
pink.

REFERENCES

Baguio, S. S. M. and Butaran, R. M. B. (2009). Breaking

through chemistry. C&E Publishing Inc., Quezon City.

Chang, R. and Goldsby, K. A. (2014). General chemistry:

The essential concepts. McGrawHill Education, New York.

Knox, C. (2018). Human metabolome database: Acetic

acid. Retrieved from
http://www.hmdb.ca/metabolites/HMDB000 0042.

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