Practical Report Cover Sheet

FINAL %

University of Zululand
Faculty of Science and Agriculture
Department of Chemistry

PRACTICAL REPORT COVER SHEET

Student Full Name Sfundo Sanele Duncan

202058786
Student Number

Module Title Analytical & Inorganic Chemistry 2

4CHM211 / SCHM211
Module Code
Determination of the concentration of commercial syrupy of
Experiment Title Phosphoric acid.
04/03/2024
Due Date
Mr Khumalo
Name of Lecturer

Lecturer’s Remarks

Analytical & Inorganic Chemistry 2

Module Title
4CHM211 / SCHM211
Module Code

1
Abstract

The aim of the experiment is to determine the concentration of commercial

syrupy phosphoric acid. using the technique of acid-base titration the two
indicators were used bromophenol blue and thymolphthalein, the
concentration of commercial phosphoric acid( P ) and the percentage error
is 4.71%

Introduction

Syrupy phosphoric acid ( P ) is a triprotic acid which means that it can

donate three protons when titrated but not at once. When triprotic acid P
donates one proton, the conjugate base formed has two acidic protons which
makes it to be able to undergo deprotonation again when titrated (Ford,
2021). P undergoes deprotonation as follows:

P P +
Acid conjugate base donated proton

P HP +
Acid conjugate base donated proton

HP P +
Acid conjugate base donated proton

Acid base titration is the procedure of quantitative analysis where the solution
of known concentration which is the standard solution is used to neutralize
solution of unknown concentration which is the analyte ( P ). In an acid
base titration, the acid donates its protons, and it is called proton donor while
on the other hand a base accepts protons, and it is the proton acceptor.

During titration, titrant and analyte react towards the equivalence point.
Equivalence point is a point where the titrant added into analyte solution is
enough to neutralize the analyte completely (Dickson, 1981). When P

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was titrated with ,the indicators Bromophenol blue and thymolphthalein
were used to indicate the equivalence point with a visible blue colour change.
The other technique that can used to determine concentration of syrupy
phosphoric acid is pH metric titration. On this method P solution is
prepared and a certain volume of it is pipetted into a beaker. Beaker is
therefore placed on magnet stirrer. Magnet and pH electrode are inserted into
a beaker (Cruz,n.d). pH then is measured, and concentration is calculated
using pH.

Experiment/Procedure

During the experiment a cleaned and dry beaker was used containing syrupy
phosphoric acid after measuring it. A beaker was placed on top of the
weighing balance machine and the weighing balance was tarred. A dropper
was used to suck in a small volume of 1ml of syrupy phosphoric acid and was
steadily and gently released into a beaker with one gentle squirt without
spillage on the weighing balance. A stopwatch was used to measure time of
30 seconds. After 30 seconds, a reading of 1.49g of syrupy phosphoric acid
was taken from the weighing balance machine. A measuring cylinder was
used to accurately measure 100mlof deionized water ( O) and this volume
was added into a 250ml volumetric flux. A short, stemmed glass funnel with a
spacer was inserted with its neck into the neck of the flask. Small volumes of
water were added into the beaker with the syrupy phosphoric acid and then
transferred into the conical flask through the funnel. The beaker was rinsed
with deionized water three times to ensure that all the constituents of syrupy
phosphoric acid was transferred into the flask. The dropper was rinsed three
times, and the dilute solution was transferred to a conical flask. More
deionized water was then transferred into the beaker to fill it up to the
calibration mark. The volumetric flask was shaken until the solution of diluted
syrupy phosphoric acid was homogeneous.

A 25ml pipette was used to transfer 25ml solution of diluted syrupy phosphoric
acid into a conical flask. Three drops of indicator bromothymol blue were

3
added into each 25ml of the solution to be titrated. Sodium hydroxide was
added into a burette. The conical flask was put underneath the burette and
the sodium hydroxide was released from the burette into the conical flask that
was slowly being swirled. The titration was done until a pale blue colour
appeared. During each titration the volume of titrant was measured. the
average volume of measurements was recorded. The titration was repeated
with different indicator Thymolphthalein. The same pale blue colour was
observed with different Thymolphthalein.

Indicator 1: Bromophenol blue

Trial Initial Volume(ml) Final Volume(ml) Deviation(ml)

1 50.00 35.70 14.30
2 35.70 18.70 17.00
3 18.70 4.70 14.00

Vaverage = 14.30+17.00+14.00/3

= 35.97ml

Indicator 2: Thymolphthalein

Trial Initial Volume(ml) Final Volume(ml) Deviation(ml)

1 50.00 33.70 16.30
2 33.70 18.00 15.70
3 18.00 5.00 13.00

Vaverage =16.30+15.70+13.00/3

=36.33ml

4
Results and Calculations

Bromophenol blue indicator

P + +

Moles of present in the titration of P :

Average volume of used to titrate P = 36.

= = 0.01362

C=

0.0982 =

n = (0.0982 )

n= mol
Moles of P in the titration

P :
1 :1
2
Therefore the number of moles of sodium hydroxide is equal to the number of
mole of phosphoric acid

Moles of P n= mol

Volume of phosphoric acid in the titrated 25 taken from 250ml of diluted

phosphoric acid solution = = 0.10 =

Concentration of P

C=
C=
C = 13.40 = 13.40 M
The theoretical concentration of syrupy phosphoric acid is known to be
14.615M

5
%error =

=8.31

When Thymolphthalein was used as an indicator in the titration

P + +

Moles of used in the titration of P in the presence of

Thymolphthalein as an indicator.
Average volume of used to in titration = 27.44ml

= .02744

C=

0.09987 =
n = 0.09987 ×

n = 2.74*10-3 mol

Moles of P in the titration

P :
1: 2
:2.74*10-3 mol
2 = 2.74*10-3 mol
X= 1.37*10-3mol

Moles of P n= 1.37 mol

Volume of phosphoric acid in the titrated 25ml taken from 250ml of diluted
phosphoric acid solution = = 0.1 ml =

C=

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C = 13.50 = 13.50 M

The theoretical concentration of P is 14.615 M

%error =

=7.63%

Discussion

This experiment was conducted to determine the concentration of commercial

syrupy phosphoric acid P ) by titrating it with known standard solution of
0.0982M. Two different indicators were used, thymolphthalein and
bromophenol blue to mark the equivalence points of the titration. At the
equivalence point, a pale blue colour was observed for both indicators.
The average volume of sodium hydroxide that was used to titrate phosphoric
acid in the presence of thymolphthalein indicator was 27.44 roughly twice
the average volume of sodium hydroxide used to titrate P in the presence
of bromothymol blue indicator which was 13.62 . The difference in in
average volumes is because two moles of sodium hydroxide were used in the
titration of phosphoric acid in the presence of indicator thymolphthalein while
only one mol of NaOH was needed to titrate I mole of phosphoric acid when
bromothymol blue was the indicator.
The concentration of commercial syrupy phosphoric acid was calculated to
be 13.40M with percentage error of 8.31% when indicator was bromothymol
blue and was13.50M with percentage error of 7.63% when thymolphthalein
indicator was used. The concentration of P was roughly estimated to be
equal 13.45 M on average with percentage error of 7.97%. The measured
concentration of P was found to be less than the actual concentration of
P which is known to be 14.615 M. The errors in measured values were
minimized by taking volume readings that were different by at most 0.2 .

7
Error in measured values of the experiment was estimated to have originated
from laboratory instrument which were used such as weighing balance.
Personal error was estimated to be one of the major sources of uncertainty in
the experimental results such as incorrect reading of measurements. The
error in measurements can possible be reduced by restarting experiment
when the gross error arises, when there is a measurement that is an outlier.
Error can be minimized my using quality equipment which can easily be read
with high accuracy and minimal uncertainty. By calibrating measuring tools
properly before they are used, error can also be minimized in measured
experimental results.

Conclusion

The determination of the concentration of commercial syrupy phosphoric acid

analyte using titrant sodium hydroxide of known concentration of [0.0982 M] in
the presence of Thymolphthalein and bromophenol blue indictors was
successful. During titration, the volumes of titrant were measured for both
indicators and their average was taken to be 13.62 when bromophenol
indicator was used and 27.44 when thymolphthalein was used. The
equivalence point was indicated by each indicator with a pale blue colour.
Calculated Concentration of syrupy phosphoric acid was found to be [13.45
M] with percentage error of 7.97% when compared to the theoretical value of
syrupy phosphoric acid [14.615 M].

Calculations

a) Theoretical volume: Vt=m/d

= 1.496/1.88
= 0.80ml

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 : pKa1 = 1.1×10-2 = [H+][H2PO4-]/[H3PO4] = 1.96
: pKa2 = 7.5×10-8 = [H+][HPO4-2]/[H2PO4-] =7.12
: pKa3 = 4.8×10-13= [H+][H2PO4-3]/[HPO42-] =12.32

b) 2.7
9.5
12.7

c) 200ml

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