Downloaded From: http://www.cbseportal.

com

AI M
M easuring the A mount of A cetic A cid
In Vinegar
by Titration with an
Indicator Solution
 Downloaded From: http://www.cbseportal.com

This is to certify that M ohit K.Das of class XII has

completed the chemist ry project entitled

‘DETERM IN A TION OF A M OUN T OF A CETIC

A CID IN VIN EGA R’ himself and under my guidance.

The progress of t he project has been continuously

reported and has been in my knowledge consistently.

M rs. A diti Kapoor

( P.G.T CHEM ISTRY)

M OTHER DIVIN E PUBLIC SCHOOL

 Downloaded From: http://www.cbseportal.com

It gives me great pleasure t o express my gratitude

towards our chemistry teacher M rs. A DITI KA POOR

for her guidance, support and encouragement

throughout t he durat ion of the project. W ithout

her mot ivat ion and help the successful complet ion of

this project would not have been possible.

N avi A rora

XII
 Downloaded From: http://www.cbseportal.com

I n d ex
1 Certificate
2 A cknowledgement
3 A im
4 Objective
5 Introduction
6 M aterials and Equipment
7 Theory
8 Experimental Procedure
 Experiment 1
 Experiment 2
 Experiment 3
9 Result
1 0 Precautions
1 1 Bibliography
 Downloaded From: http://www.cbseportal.com

Ob j ect ive
The goal of this project
is to determine the amount of A cetic A cid in
different types of vinegar
using titration with a coloured
pH indicator t o determine
the endpoint.
 Downloaded From: http://www.cbseportal.com

I n t r od u ct ion
Vinegar is a solut ion made from t he ferment at ion of et hanol
(CH3CH2OH), w hich in t urn w as previously ferment ed from sugar. The
ferment at ion of et hanol result s in t he product ion of acet ic acid
(CH3COOH). There are many different t ypes of vinegar, each st art ing
from a different original sugar source (e.g., rice, w ine, malt , et c.). The
amount of acet ic acid in vinegar can vary, t ypically bet w een 4 t o 6% for
t able vinegar, but up t o t hree t imes higher (18%) for pickling vinegar.

In t his project , w e w ill det ermine t he amount of acid in different

vinegars using t it rat ion , a common t echnique in chemist ry. Tit rat ion is a
w ay t o measure t he unknow n amount of a chemical in a solut ion (t he
t it rant ) by adding a measured amount of a chemical w it h a know n
concent rat ion (t he t it rat ing solut ion ). The t it rat ing solut ion react s w it h
t he t it rant , and t he endpoint of t he react ion is monit ored in some w ay.
The concent rat ion of t he t it rant can now be calculat ed from t he
amount of t it rat ing solut ion added, and t he rat io of t he t w o chemicals
in t he chemical equat ion for t he react ion.

To measure t he acidit y of a vinegar solut ion, w e can add enough

hydroxyl ions t o balance out t he added hydrogen ions from t he acid.
The hydroxyl ions w ill react w it h t he hydrogen ions t o produce w at er. In
order for a t it rat ion t o w ork, w e need t hree t hings:

1. a t it rat ion solut ion (cont ains hydroxyl ions w it h a precisely know n
concent rat ion),
2. a met hod for delivering a precisely measured volume of t he
t it rat ing solut ion, and
3. a means of indicat ing w hen t he endpoint has been reached.

For t he t it rat ing solut ion, w e'll use a dilut e solut ion of sodium
hydroxide (NaOH). Sodium hydroxide is a st rong base, w hich means
t hat it dissociat es almost complet ely in w at er. So for every NaOH
 Downloaded From: http://www.cbseportal.com

molecule t hat w e add t o t he solut ion,w e can expect t o produce a

hydroxyl ion.

To dispense an accurat ely measured volume of t he t it rat ing solut ion,

w e w ill use a buret t e. A buret t e is a long t ube w it h a valve at t he
bot t om and graduat ed markings on t he out side t o measure t he volume
cont ained in t he buret t e. The buret t e is mount ed on a ring st and,
direct ly above t he t it rant solut ion (as show n in t he pict ure).

Solut ions in t he buret t e t end t o creep up t he sides of t he glass at t he

surface of t he liquid. This is due t o t he surface t ension of w at er. The
surface of t he liquid t hus forms a curve, called a meniscus. To measure
t he volume of t he liquid in t he buret t e, alw ays read from t he bot t om of
t he meniscus.

In t his experiment , w e w ill use an indicat or solut ion called

phenolpht halein. Phenolpht halein is colourless w hen t he solut ion is
acidic or neut ral. When t he solut ion becomes slight ly basic,
phenolpht halein t urns pinkish, and t hen light purple as t he solut ion
becomes more basic. So w hen t he vinegar solut ion st art s t o t urn pink,
w e know t hat t he t it rat ion is complet e.
 Downloaded From: http://www.cbseportal.com

M a t er ia ls a n d
Eq u ip m en t
To do this experiment we will need the following materials and
equipment:

 Vinegar, three different types.

 Distilled water

 Small funnel

 0.5% Phenolphthalein solution in alcohol (pH indicator solution)

 0.1 M sodium hydroxide solution

 125 mL Conical flask

 25 or 50 mL burette

 10 mL graduated cylinder

 Ring stand

 Burette clamp
 Downloaded From: http://www.cbseportal.com

Th eor y
 Required amount of sodium hydroxide (NaOH) can be calculat ed

Molarity  Molarmass  Volume(cm3 )

using t he follow ing formula:

W
1000

0.5  40  500
M olar mass of NaOH = 40 g/ mol

=
1000
= 10 g

 The acetic acid content of a vinegar may be deter mined by

titr ating a vinegar sample with a solution of sodium hydr oxide
of know n molar concentr ation (molar ity).

CH3COOH(aq) + NaOH(aq) --> CH3COONa(aq) + H2O(l)

(acid) + (base) --> (salt) + (w ater )

At t he end point in t he t it rat ion st oichiomet ry bet w een t he bot h

solut ion lies in a 1:1 rat io.


M CH COOH VCH COOH
3 3
1
M NaOH VNaOH 1

 St rengt h of acid in vinegar can be det ermined by t he follow ing

St rengt h of acet ic acid = M CH COOH  60

formula:

Indicator:- Phenolpht halein

End Point:- Colourless t o pink
 Downloaded From: http://www.cbseportal.com

Ex p er im en t a l
Pr oced u r e
Performing t he Tit rat ion

1. Pour 1.5 ml of vinegar in an Conical flask.

2. Add dist illed w at er t o dissolve t he vinegar so t hat t he volume of

t he solut ion becomes 20 mL.

3. Add 3 drops of 0.5% phenolpht halein solut ion.

4. Use t he buret t e clamp t o at t ach t he buret t e t o t he ring st and. The

opening at t he bot t om of t he buret t e should be just above t he
height of t he Conical flask w e use for t he vinegar and
phenolpht halein solut ion.

5. Use a funnel t o fill t he buret t e w it h a 0.1 M solut ion of sodium

hydroxide.

6. Not e t he st art ing level of t he sodium hydroxide solut ion in t he

buret t e. Put t he vinegar solut ion t o be t it rat ed under t he buret t e.

7. Slow ly drip t he solut ion of sodium hydroxide int o t he vinegar

solut ion. Sw irl t he flask gent ly t o mix t he solut ion, w hile keeping
t he opening underneat h t he buret t e.

8. At some point w e w ill see a pink colour in t he vinegar solut ion

w hen t he sodium hydroxide is added, but t he colour w ill quickly
 Downloaded From: http://www.cbseportal.com

disappear as t he solut ion is mixed. When t his happens, slow t he

buret t e t o drop-by-drop addit ion.

9. When t he vinegar solut ion t urns pink and remains t hat colour
even w it h mixing, t he t it rat ion is complet e. Close t he t ap (or pinch
valve) of t he buret t e.

10. Not e t he remaining level of t he sodium hydroxide solut ion in t he

buret t e. Remember t o read from t he bot t om of t he meniscus.

11. Subt ract t he init ial level from t he remaining level t o figure out
how much t it rat ing solut ion w e have used.

12. For each vinegar t hat w e t est , repeat t he t it rat ion at least t hree
t imes.
 Downloaded From: http://www.cbseportal.com

EXPERIMENT – 1
I. Take t he household vinegar in t he conical flask and do t he
t it rat ion w it h sodium hydroxide (NaOH) as ment ioned.

OBSERVATIONS

S.no Volume of Buret t e Reading Volume of

vinegar NaOH
Init ial Final
solut ion solut ion
(in mL) (in mL)
used

1. 20 0 27 27

2. 20 0 27 27

3. 20 0 27 27

Concordant volume = 27 mL

CALCULATIONS

We know t hat ,

M CH COOH VCH COOH  M NaOH VNaOH

3 3

 M CH COOH 
M NaOH VNaOH
3
VCH COOH
3

0.5  27
 M CH COOH 3
20
= 0.675 mol/ L

St rengt h of acet ic acid= 0.675  60

=40.5 g/ L
 Downloaded From: http://www.cbseportal.com

EXPERIMENT – 2
I. Take t he w ine vinegar in t he conical flask and do t he t it rat ion w it h
sodium hydroxide (NaOH) as ment ioned.

OBSERVATIONS

S.no Volume of Buret t e Reading Volume of

vinegar NaOH
Init ial Final
solut ion solut ion
(in mL) (in mL)
used

1. 20 0 48 48

2. 20 0 48 48

3. 20 0 48 48

Concordant volume = 48mL

CALCULATIONS

We know t hat ,

M CH COOH VCH COOH  M NaOH VNaOH

3 3

 M CH COOH 
M NaOH VNaOH
3
VCH COOH
3

0.5  48
 M CH COOH 3
20
= 1.2 mol/ L

St rengt h of acet ic acid=1.2  60

=72 g/ L
 Downloaded From: http://www.cbseportal.com

EXPERIMENT – 3
I. Take t he fruit (Persimmon) vinegar in t he conical flask and do t he
t it rat ion w it h sodium hydroxide (NaOH) as ment ioned.

OBSERVATIONS

S.no Volume of Buret t e Reading Volume of

vinegar NaOH
Init ial Final
solut ion solut ion
(in mL) (in mL)
used

1. 20 0 32 32

2. 20 0 32 32

3. 20 0 32 32

Concordant volume = 32 mL

CALCULATIONS

We know t hat ,

M CH COOH VCH COOH  M NaOH VNaOH

3 3

 M CH COOH 
M NaOH VNaOH
3
VCH COOH
3

0.5  32
 M CH COOH 3
20
= 0.8 mol/ L

St rengt h of acet ic acid= 0.8  60

=48 g/ L
 Downloaded From: http://www.cbseportal.com

Resu lt
 Strength of acetic acid in household vinegar = 40.5 g/L.

 Strength of acetic acid in wine vinegar = 72 g/L.

 Strength of acetic acid in fruit vinegar = 48 g/L.

Graphically plot t ing various vinegar samples in

accordance w it h t he amount of acet ic acid present in
t hem w e present a st unning find:
Strenth of Different Vinegars

80

70

60

50

40

30

20

10

0
Household Vinegar Wine Fruit Vinegar

Order of amount of acetic acid in different samples

of vinegar is:

Wine > Fruit vinegar > Househol d vinegar

 Downloaded From: http://www.cbseportal.com

Pr eca u t ion s
 Transference of measured vinegar into a measuring
flask should be done very carefully.
 Measuring must be performed carefully.
 Look at the meniscus of solution at eye level to avoid
parallax.
 Look at the lower meniscus in the light coloured
solution and upper meniscus in the dark coloured
solution because of visibility.
 Do not forget to add distilled water to the vinegar.
Bib liogr a p h y
Downloaded From: http://www.cbseportal.com