Aim: Determining the percentage composition of CaCO3 in an antacid tablet?

Introduction

The aim of our experiment is to determine the percentage composition of CaCO 3 within an antacid
tablet. This is very important as antacids are medicines that counteract (neutralise) the acid in your
stomach to relieve indigestion and heartburn. By determining the percentage composition of CaCO 3
in a particular brand of antacid, the effectiveness of the tablet can be determined in comparison to
other bands.

Background Science

To determine the percentage composition of CaCO 3, I will be using two main techniques, making a
standard solution and back titrations. The standard solution will be created when the powdered
antacid tablet (solute) is dissolved in hydrochloric acid (solvent) to form a solution.

NaOH (aq) + HCl (aq)  NaCl (s) + H2O (l)

CaCO3 (s) + 2HCl (aq)  CaCl2 (aq) + H2O (l) + CO2 (g)

Hypothesis

If there is a higher percentage composition of CaCO 3 in the antacid table then titration will would
reach the end-point faster as there is less acid to titrate as it has reacted with the CaCO 3.

Equipment

Equipment Chemical Reagent

Digital balance (±0.01g) Sodium Hydroxide (0.2 moldm-3)
Pestle and mortar Hydrochloric acid (0.5 moldm-3)
Measuring cylinder (±0.5ml) Antacid tablet
Volumetric flask (±0.8 cm3)
Burette (± 0.05cm3)
Pipette ((± 0.04cm3)
Funnel
Conical flask (250 cm3)
Method

1. Grind the antacid into a fine powder

2. Record the mass of the powdered antacid
3. Dissolve the powdered tablet in 50 cm3 of HCl
4. Pour the solution and washings into a 100cm 3 volumetric flask and add more HCl until the
graduation is the reading from the bottom of the meniscus. Invert the 100cm 3 volumetric
flask several times to thoroughly mix solution
5. Take 10.00 cm3 aliquot from the volumetric flask and place it in a conical flask (warm gently)
6. Add two drops of phenolphthalein indicator and titrate against NaOH in the burette
7. Repeat the titration for concordant results
Raw data

Titration with HCl

Titration 1 2 Average
Final burette reading (cm3) 26.60 26.10 26.25
Initial burette reading (cm3) 0.00 0.00
Titre (cm3) 26.60 26.10 26.25
Uncertainty ±0.05 ±0.05 ±0.10
% uncertainty 0.19 0.19 0.38

Titration with Standard Solution

Titration 1 2 2 Average
Final burette reading (cm3) 21.10 21.20 21.30 21.20
Initial burette reading (cm3) 0.00 0.00 0.00
Titre (cm3) 21.10 21.20 21.30 21.20
Uncertainty ±0.05 ±0.05 ±0.05 ±0.15
% uncertainty 0.24 0.24 0.24 0.71

Processing data

n=cv (calculating the number of moles of NaOH titrated)

where

n is the number of moles

c is the concentration in (moldm-3)
v is the volume in (dm3) 1000 cm3 = 1 dm3

21.25−21.20=5.05 cm3 therefore 5.05 cm3 of acid used to react with 10% of tablet
n(NaOH )=5.05× 10−3 ×0.2
n ( NaOH )=0.00101moles of HCl
Ratio of moles NaOH : HCl is 1:1 therefore 0.00101 moles of HCl
Ratio of moles CaCO3 : HCl is 1 : 2 therefore 0.000505 moles of CaCO3

m
Using n= (calculating mass of CaCO3)
Mr

where
n is number of moles
m is mass in (g)
Mr is relative molecular mass

m(CaC 03 )=0.00505 ×100.09

m=0.05 0 5g in 10% of tablet therefore 0.505g in 100% of tablet
m=505 mg
m=0. 505mg ±
Percentage error

Literature value: 500mg

Percentage Error=¿ Literature value−experimental value∨ ¿ ×100 ¿
Literature value
505−700
Percentage Error= × 100
500
Percentage Error=1 %

Uncertainties

Equipment Measurement with uncertainty % uncertainty

Mass of powdered antacid tablet (g) 1.10±0.02 1.80
Volume of of HCl (cm3) (Flask) 100.00±0.04 0.04
Volume of HCl used (cm3) (Pipette) 5.05±0.04 0.79
Volume of NaOH (cm3) (Burette) 5.05±0.1 1.98
Total uncertainty 4.61