CEN 314- Lab 1

Helpful reading: Reference text (Davis& Cornwell)

pg 200 (4th Edition)
pg 231 (5th Edition)

Introduction/Safety
Alkalinity
Acidity

1
 Common Chemical Terms
•Atomic Weight:
•Weighted average of naturally occurring isotopes
•Molecular Weight:
•Sum of atomic weights for the entire compound
•Equivalent Weight:
•MW/N
•n= absolute value of charge...OR...number of hydrogen ions
capable of being transferred....OR...number of elections
transferred during redox

2
 Equivalent Weight

E.W.=G.M.W
n
n= absolute value of charge....OR...number of
hydrogen ions capable of being
transferred...OR...number of electrons
transferred during redox

3
Calcium Carbonate (CaC03)

E.W.= 100.09 g/mol= 50.04 g/eq

2 eq/mol

mg/L as CaCO3= mg/L Species [E.W. CaCO3/ E.W. Species]

4
 Terms (cont.)
•Normality
•“Reacting Strength”= eq/L
•n*Molar concentration

In other words, for our lab today, how

many mols of protons are released for
every liter of solution.

1 mol/L of H2SO4= 2 eq/L of H2SO4

5
 Alkalinity
....helps resist decreases in pH
•Ability of a system to absorb a strong acid
without pH change.
•Alk= sum of a proton deficient-sum of
proton excess
•Often reported “mg/L as CaCO3”

ALK= Σ proton deficient- Σ proton excess

ALK= n HCO3- HCO3- + n CO3-2 CO3-2 + n OH-OH- - n H+ H+

ALK= HCO3- + 2CO3-2 + OH- - H+

6
 Acidity
...helps resist increases in pH

•Acidity represents the ability of a sample to

absorb a strong base without pH change
•Endpoints (color change during titration)
correspond to neutralization of the acid for a
specific pH
•For most natural waters, carbon dioxide is the
primary acidic component

7
 For the Env Lab #1
Answer the following questions in the results and discussion section of
your report:
1. Describe how the titration endpoints (pH values) and the titration
volumes were related. Did the volume of titrant required to reach
the endpoint make logical sense based on the typical pH-values for
drinking water?
2. Which water sample contained the most alkalinity? Explain whether
this makes sense based on the nature of the water samples. Use
reference materials to support your answers.
3. Which water contained the most acidity? Explain whether this makes
sense based on the nature of the water samples. Use reference
materials to support your answers.