Lab Report

Title

pH Measurement

Name : LIM KAH HOU

Matric no : U2103352/1

Group : Occurrence 2

Experiment no : B2

Date : 20th December 2021

Lecturer : Dr. Azizah Manial
Procedure
The procedure is carried out according to SIC 1011 Basic Laboratory Techniques Manual

Objective

• To determine the ionization constant of various acids

Results
Table 1 : the pH, pKa and Ka values of various acids
pKa value Temperature
Type of acids (0.1M) pH value (±0.01) Ka value
(±0.01) (±0.1K)
Acetic acid 4.41 4.41 3.89 × 10-5 ± 0.001 27.2
Propanoic acid 4.57 4.57 2.69 × 10-5 ± 0.0009 27.5
Chloroacetic acid 2.67 2.67 2.14 × 10-3 ± 0.002 27.5
Dichloroacetic acid 1.94 1.94 1.15 × 10-2 ± 0.002 27.6
Trichloroacetic acid 1.81 1.81 1.55 × 10-2 ± 0.002 27.5

𝐻𝐴 + 𝐻2 𝑂 ↔ 𝐻3 𝑂+ + 𝐴−
[𝐻3 𝑂+ ][𝐴− ]
𝐾𝑎 =
[𝐻𝐴]
For 50% neutralized acid, the concentration of conjugate base is equivalent to the concentration of the
acid.
[𝐴− ] = [𝐻𝐴]

Hence, the acid dissociation constant, Ka, is equivalent to the concentration of hydroxonium ion present in
the solution.
𝐾𝑎 = [𝐻3 𝑂+ ]
By using the pH value measured using pH meter, the pKa value can be found.
𝑝𝐻 = − log[𝐻3 𝑂+ ] = 𝑝𝐾𝑎
Therefore, Ka can be obtained subsequently using the following formula.

𝐾𝑎 = 10−𝑝𝐻

Uncertainty of Ka value can be found using the following formula

1 ∆𝑝𝐻
Uncertainty of Ka value = 2.303 ( 𝑝𝐻 )
Discussion
Table 2 : Comparison of literature values with experimental values for acid dissociation constant
Ka literature value
Acids Ka experimental value
(T = 298.15K)
Acetic acid 1.76×10-5 3.89 × 10-5 ± 0.001 (T = 300.35 ± 0.1 K)
Propanoic acid 1.34×10-5 2.69 × 10-5 ± 0.0009 (T = 300.65 ± 0.1 K)
Chloroacetic acid 1.40×10-3 2.14 × 10-3 ± 0.002 (T = 300.65 ± 0.1 K)
Dichloroacetic acid 4.47×10-2 1.15 × 10-2 ± 0.002 (T = 300.75 ± 0.1 K)
Trichloroacetic acid 2.20×10-1 1.55 × 10-2 ± 0.002 (T = 300.65 ± 0.1 K)

Based on table 1, the acid strength of those acids can be arranged from weakest acid to strongest acid based
on the pKa values obtained.
Acid Strength increases
Propanoic acid, acetic acid, Chloroacetic acid, Dichloroacetic acid, Trichloroacetic acid.

Propanoic acid is found to be the weakest acid among the acid species used in this experiment
because it has an ethyl group bonded to the hydroxy carbon while acetic acid being the second weakest for
the same reason, a methyl group bonded to hydroxy carbon. Alkyl group can act as an electron donating
group which exhibit positive inductive (+I) towards the oxygen in the hydroxyl group. This in turns,
increase the electron density on the oxygen which consequently strengthen the O – H bond. As the result,
the acid become less likely to donor proton, thus a weaker acid. Propanoic acid has an ethyl group which is
a longer carbon chain compared to methyl group in acetic acid and the longer the alkyl group, the stronger
the +I effect will be. Therefore, propanoic acid is the weakest acid followed by acetic acid.

On the other hand, the acid strength of chlorine-substituted acetic acid is higher than propanoic acid
and acetic acid because chlorine, in this case, act as an electron withdrawing group that exert negative
inductive effect (-I). As the name stated, chlorine will withdraw the electron from the oxygen in the
hydroxyl group. This causes the electron density of the oxygen to be lowered, hence the O – H bond strength
is weakened. This makes the hydroxyl group to be more likely to donate proton, therefore stronger acid.
The more extensive the acid is substituted with chlorine, the stronger the acid will be. Hence, the acid
strength increased from mono chloro-substituted acetic acid to tri chloro-substituted acid with
trichloroacetic acid being the strongest acid among the species tested.

Moving on, based on table 2, the experimental Ka values for acetic acid, propanoic acid,
chloroacetic acid and dichloroacetic acid are closely resemble the literature values with experimental values
slightly higher than the literature values. This could due to the different in surrounding temperature as the
literature values are recorded at 298.15K whereas the experimental values are taken at around 300.61±0.1K.
However, for trichloroacetic acid, the Ka values differ significantly from the literature values. This infers
that beside the temperature difference, there is other underlying factors such as error done by the
experimenter that cause the value varied hugely. For instance, it could due to the experimenter overshoot
the titration process, which results in more acid is being neutralized. Therefore, the pH value obtained does
not reflect to the pKa value of trichloroacetic acid and the values differ significantly

Conclusion
The ionization constant or acid dissociation constant, Ka, of various acids were able to be obtained
from the pH meter. The Ka values obtained for acetic acid, propanoic acid, chloroacetic acid, dichloroacetic
acid and trichloroacetic acid are 3.89 × 10-5 ± 0.001, 2.69 × 10-5 ± 0.0009, 2.14 × 10-3 ± 0.002, 1.15 × 10-2
± 0.002 and 1.55 × 10-2 ± 0.002 respectively

Reference

• SIC1011 Safety and Basic Laboratory Techniques Lab-Manual

• Mattock, George, (1961). pH measurement and titration. Heywood.
• McMillan, Gregory K., (1994). pH measurement and control. Instrument Society of America.