Jaka Patafta, 3.

IB IB Chemistry

Analysis of aspirin tablets

1. Background
2. Research question
What is the percentage of aspirin in the Bayer brand aspirin tablet?
3. Hypothesis
The aspirin tablet contains 100% aspirin.
4. Materials/equipment
 50 mL Erlenmeyer flask
 Aspirin tablet Bayer brand
 99.98% Ethanol
 NaOH solution
 Phenolphthalein
 25.00 mL Burette
 Propipete
 Technical scale
 100 mL beaker
 50 mL beaker
 Distilled water
5. Safety:
We must be aware of the highly corrosive properties of NaOH and wear lab
coats, protective eyewear and gloves at all times.
6. Methodology:
a) Variables

Ways of
Variables manipulating/measuring/controlling
variables

Using technical scale (±0.1), 0.5 g of aspirin

Independent Mass of aspirin tablet was measured, and used in all three
variable tablet trials.

Volume needed to react with Aspirin acidic

Dependent Volume of solution is measured, using burette (25.000
variable NaOH cm3 ± 0.075 cm3), at the ‘end point’ of the
reaction

1
Jaka Patafta, 3. IB IB Chemistry

Mass is the same for all three trials as it is

Mass of Aspirin weighed using technical balance.
tablet (≈ 0.5 ± 0.1 g)

All trials of this experiment are conducted

inside the same laboratory; all chemicals
Temperature are taken/prepared from the same
(°C) container (temperature is equal) which is
important since the experiment is not
long-lasting
Controlled
variable
Concentration The concentration of NaOH was the same
of NaOH in all three trails, 0.100 mol dm^-3

Volume of The volume of Ethanol was the same in all

Ethanol three trials, 10.00 mL

b) Procedure
1. Using a technical balance, weigh out 0.5 g of aspirin tablet, inside a 50 mL
Erlenmeyer flask (±5%).
2. To the same flask, add 10 mL of 99.98% ethanol, and dissolve the tablet.
3. Add a few drops of phenolphthalein to the solution.
4. Add NaOH solution to a 50 mL beaker.
5. Rinse out burette with distilled water twice.
6. Add 25 mL of NaOH solution to the burette.
7. Run NaOH solution from a burette into the flask, swirling continuously, until
the phenolphthalein just starts to show its purple colour. Be careful to add
drop by drop as you approach the endpoint!

2
Jaka Patafta, 3. IB IB Chemistry

8. When the endpoint is reached, read the final volume and write it down.
9. Repeat procedure two more times.
When done rinse burette with dilute HCl first, then with distilled water.
7. Data processing
a. Raw Data

Initial burette reading/cm^3 Final burette reading/cm^3

Trail
(± 0.15 cm^3) (±0.045cm3)

1. 0.00 30.4 mL

2. 0.00 32.45 mL

3. 0.00 33 mL

b. Calculations
3 3 3
30.4 cm +32.45 cm +33 cm
The mean Volume is V = 3
=31.95 cm
3

We need to find the amount (in mol) of sodium hydroxide was required to react
exactly with the aspirin.
n ( NaOH ) =c (NaOH )×V (NaOH )
−3 −3 3
n ( NaOH ) =0.100 mol dm ×31.95 ×10 dm
−3
n ( NaOH ) =3.195× 10 mol

Then we need to find the amount (in mol) of aspirin was present in your weighed-
out tablet.
Since they reacted, we can say that the amount (in mol) of aspirin is the same as
the amount of NaOH (in mol).
n ( C 6 H 4 ( OCOC H 3 ) COOH ) =n (NaOH )

n ( C 6 H 4 ( OCOC H 3 ) COOH ) =3.195 ×10 mol

−3

Next, we need to find the mass of one mole of aspirin.

m ( C 6 H 4 ( OCOC H 3 ) COOH ) =M ( C6 H 4 ( OCOC H 3 ) COOH ) ×n ( C 6 H 4 ( OCOC H 3 ) COOH )

m ( C 6 H 4 ( OCOC H 3 ) COOH ) =180.154 ×3.195 ×10 mol

−3

3
Jaka Patafta, 3. IB IB Chemistry

m ( C 6 H 4 ( OCOC H 3 ) COOH ) =0.5756 g

So, the mass of one mol of aspirin is:

m1 ( C6 H 4 ( OCOC H 3 ) COOH ) =m ( C 6 H 4 ( OCOC H 3 ) COOH ) ÷ n ( C6 H 4 ( OCOC H 3 ) COOH )

m1 ( C6 H 4 ( OCOC H 3 ) COOH ) =180.156

Lastly, we need the percentage of aspirin in the tablet:

w ( C6 H 4 ( OCOC H 3 ) COOH ) =m ( C6 H 4 ( OCOC H 3 ) COOH ) ÷ m ( tablet ) ×100 %

w ( C6 H 4 ( OCOC H 3 ) COOH ) =0.5756 g÷ 0.5 g ×100 %

w ( C6 H 4 ( OCOC H 3 ) COOH ) =115 %

8. Conclusion and evaluation

9. Sources
https://www.angelo.edu/faculty/kboudrea/periodic/structure_mass.htm
(24.9.2023.,)
https://www.studocu.com/en-us/document/queens-college-cuny/
introduction-to-chemical-techniques/aspirin-analysis-lab-report/10361537
(24.9.2023)