Experiment 4: Determining the Dissociation Constant for a Weak Acid

Date: 7- 3- 2023

Author:

ID: 900201273

Lab partner:

Introduction
A Bronsted acid, also known as a Brønsted-Lowry acid, is a substance that donates a
hydrogen ion (H+) to another substance in a chemical reaction (a. Britannica, 2023). In the
Bronsted-Lowry acid-base theory, an acid is defined as a proton donor, and a base is defined as a
proton acceptor. A proton is a subatomic particle that is located in the atom's nucleus (b.
Britannica, 2023). It has a positive electric charge and is one of the fundamental particles of
matter. Therefore, when a Bronsted acid donates a hydrogen ion, it becomes a conjugate base.
For example, when hydrochloric acid (HCl) donates a hydrogen ion in water, it forms the
chloride ion (Cl-) as its conjugate base:
HCl + H2O → H3O+ + Cl-
In this reaction, HCl is the Bronsted acid because it donates a hydrogen ion, and H2O is the
Bronsted base because it accepts the hydrogen ion to form the hydronium ion (H3O+). Acids are
substances that donate hydrogen ions (H+) when they are dissolved in water. The strength of an
acid is its ability to donate hydrogen ions (Ball & Key, 2014). A strong acid can completely
dissociate in water (El Sawy, 2023), meaning that all of its hydrogen ions are released into the
solution. A weak acid partially dissociates in water (El Sawy, 2023), so only some of its
hydrogen ions are released into the solution. Some examples of strong acids include hydrochloric
acid (HCl), sulfuric acid (H2SO4), and nitric acid (HNO3) (Ball & Key, 2014). These acids have a
very low pH and are highly reactive. Some examples of weak acids include acetic acid
(CH3COOH), carbonic acid (H2CO3), and citric acid (C6H8O7) (Ball & Key, 2014). These acids
have a higher pH than strong acids and are less reactive. It's important to note that the strength of
acid does not refer to its concentration (Doe, 2018). A strong acid can be diluted and still be a
strong acid, while a weak acid can be concentrated and still be a weak acid. Additionally, the
acid dissociation constant (Ka) provides a numerical measurement of the acidity of a solution.
(Helmenstine, 2019; El Sawy, 2023). It is defined as the equilibrium constant for the dissociation
of an acid in the water, where the acid dissociates into its conjugate base and a hydrogen ion
(H+). Mathematically, it is expressed as: Ka = [H+][A-] / [HA]
where [H+] denotes the hydrogen ion concentration, [A-] denotes the conjugate base
concentration, and [HA] is the concentration of the undissociated acid. The (Ka) value varies for
different acids and is a measure of their relative strengths. Strong acids have large Ka values,
indicating that they dissociate almost completely in water (Helmenstine, 2019; El Sawy, 2023),
while weak acids have small Ka values, indicating that they dissociate only partially.
This experiment’s objective was to determine the acid dissociation constant (Ka) for an
unknown acid. The different methods used to determine the dissociation constant (Ka) of a weak
acid all involve measuring the pH of the solution, which is used to determine the hydrogen ion
concentration ([H+]). The direct measurement method involves directly measuring the pH of the
solution and assuming that the concentration of the weak acid and its conjugate base are equal to
10-pH (El Sawy, 2023). The partial neutralization data method involves adding a base (such as
OH-) to the weak acid solution until it is partially neutralized, and then measuring the resulting
pH. By calculating the concentration of [HA] using the weak acid's initial concentration and the
concentration of [OH-] added, the Ka can be determined (El Sawy, 2023). The graphical method
involves analyzing a series of neutralization solutions graphically to determine the Ka value.
Overall, all of these methods involve measuring the pH of the solution and using it to calculate
the concentration of [H+] (El Sawy, 2023), which is then used to determine the Ka value. Hence,
the value of (Ka)was calculated through the following equation:

(1)

Experimental
Refer to the procedure in the handout (El Sawy, 2023).

Results
% error = ¿ /(2∗1 0−5 ) ¿∗100=¿ 79%
.
 Figure 1: it illustrates the value of Ka graphically. The slope represents (Ka)

Discussion
This experiment was performed and found that the values for the (Ka) are closely related.
The value of (Ka) for solution 1 was 5.856*10-5, solution 2 was 3.576*10-5, solution 3 was
2.778*10-5, and solution 4 was 2.089*10-5. The avarege value for (Ka) is 3.5795*10-5. This
indicated that the unknown weak acid is closer to Crotinic acid with a value of (2*10-5). The
percentage error for calculating the value of Ka is 79%. These results indicated the objective of
this experiment which is to determine the acid dissociation constant (Ka) for the unknown acid,
which was found to be the Crotinic acid. The results showed a high percentage of error, and
determining the dissociation constant for a weak acid is an experimental technique that involves
the measurement of the pH of a weak acid solution at various concentrations. There were several
potential sources of error that might affect the accuracy of the results obtained from this
experiment, including
1. Calibration errors: pH meters are used to measure the pH of the solution. If the pH meter
is not properly calibrated, the readings obtained will be inaccurate.
2. Contamination: If there is any contamination in the sample or equipment used, it can lead
to incorrect measurements.
 3. Temperature: The dissociation constant is temperature dependent. If the temperature of
the solution changes during the experiment, it can lead to inaccurate measurements.
4. Concentration: Accurately preparing and measuring the concentration of the weak acid
solution is important. Any errors in the preparation or measurement of the concentration
can lead to inaccurate results.
5. Presence of impurities: Impurities in the weak acid or water used for dilution can lead to
errors in the measurement of pH and concentration, leading to inaccurate results.
6. Equilibrium shift: The equilibrium can shift due to the presence of strong acids or bases,
affecting the dissociation constant determination.
It is important to identify and minimize these potential sources of error to ensure the accuracy of
the results obtained.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the aim of this experiment was to determine the acid dissociation constant
(Ka) for an unknown acid. Based on the results of the experiment, it can be concluded that the
unknown acid is likely to be Corotinc acid, with a calculated Ka value of 3.5795*10-5, which is
close to the theoretical Ka value of 2*10-5 for Corotinc acid. However, the high percentage of
error in the experiment indicates that the procedure may not have been performed with optimal
accuracy or precision, and thus, the results should be interpreted with caution. Further
experiments or improvements to the procedure may be necessary to confirm the identity of the
unknown acid and obtain more accurate results.

References
Ball, D. W., & Key, J. A. (2014). Strong and Weak Acids and Bases and Their Salts.

BCcampus. https://opentextbc.ca/introductorychemistry/chapter/strong-and-weak-

acids-and-bases-and-their-salts/

a. Britannica. (2023). Bronsted-Lowry theory | Definition & Facts | Britannica. In

Encyclopædia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/science/Bronsted-Lowry-
theory
 b. Britannica. (2023). Proton | Definition, Mass, Charge, & Facts | Britannica. In

Encyclopædia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/science/proton-subatomic-

particle

Doe, G. (2018). Difference Between Strength & Concentration. Sciencing.

https://sciencing.com/difference-between-strength-concentration-8601963.html

El Sawy, E. (2023). Experiment 4: Determining the Dissociation Constant for a Weak

Acid. The American University in Cairo, CHEM3013.

Helmenstine, A. M. (2019). Acid Dissociation Constant Definition: Ka. ThoughtCo.

https://www.thoughtco.com/acid-dissociation-constant-definition-ka-606347