CBSE INVESTIGATORY PROJECT

SHIVALIK PUBLIC SCHOOL, SECTOR 41B

AISSCE 2024-25

QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS
Measuring the amount of Acetic acid in Vinegar
with an Indicator solution by titrating with NaOH
solution.

BY
Swarn

XII D
 PURPOSE

The goal of this project is to determine

the amount of acetic acid in different
types of vinegar using titration with a
coloured pH indicator to determine the
end point.

This is a Quantitative analysis.

 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

My sincere efforts have made me to accomplish

this task of completing this project. However, it
would not have been possible without the kind
support and help of many individuals.

Firstly, I would like to thank my Chemistry

teacher, Mrs Nidhi Sharma, whose valuable
guidance helped me patch this project and make it
successful. Her suggestions and her guidance have
made it possible to finish this project on time

Then, I would like to thank my parents who have

been helpful to me in various phases of the
completion of this project.

Lastly, I would like to thank all the people on the

internet who helped me anonymously, providing
me with crucial data and resources which
consisted a major part of my project.
 INTRODUCTION

The accidental discovery in ancient times that grape

juice, left undisturbed turns into wine was a cause of
celebration. Wine has been used in celebrations ever
since. The subsequent and inevitable discovery that
wine, left undisturbed turns into vinegar was not
heralded with much enthusiasm. However, over many
years the wonders of vinegar have been revealed, and will
continue to be for years to come.
Ancients very quickly discovered the tremendous
versatility of vinegar. While records were not kept before
5000BC. Legend has it that the Sumerians, a civilisation
of ancient Babylonia, used vinegar as a cleansing agent.
The Babylonians discovered that vinegar slows or stops
the action of bacteria that spoils food so they used it as a
preservative. They also used it as a condiment. Julias
Caeser’s armies used Vinegar as a beverage. The
Egyptian Queen, Cleopatra, demonstrated its solvency
powers by dissolving precious jewels and pearls in
vinegar to win a wager that she could consume a fortune
in a single meal.
Helen of Troy apparently bathed in vinegar to relax.
Hannibal, the famous African General used vinegar to
help his troops to cross the Alps. According to Titus
Levius, a historian who lived around the time of Christ,
Obstructive boulders were drenched in vinegar to allow
them to crack in small pieces so that they could be easily
moved away.
Vinegar has been revered throughout the ages. There are
many Biblical references in both the old and new
testaments that reveal the use of vinegar as a beverage,
likely diluted and sweetened. In Fact, the scriptures say
that Jesus Christ drank vinegar just before he was
crucified. There are also Biblical references to the use of
vinegar as a condiment to dip Bread and as a remedy of
infections and wounds. Vinegar is also mentioned in the
Talmud where it is called for to make Haroseth in
Pesachim. Vinegar became one of our first medicines
around 400BC. Hippocrates, a Greek Physician and
writer, known as the father of medicine, extolled
vinegar’s therapeutic qualities. He described and
Prescribed drinking vinegar to his patients for many
Ailments.
In early times, it was known as ‘Poor Man’s Wine’ or
simply ‘Posca’.
Roman sauces such as ‘Garum’ and ‘Liquamen’ were
crafted using vinegar. Moreover, Vinegar eased digestive
discomfort and reduced fever. Mostly, it was used to treat
venomous stings. Vinegar was hailed of its anti-
inflammatory properties.
Vinegar also acts as an analgesic. After surgery, wounds
were closed using stitches and dressed with linen
bandages or sponges soaked in water, wine, oil or
vinegar. In ancient times, vinegar was both a culinary
staple and a healing elixir.
To this day, Vinegar has not lost its importance as
nowadays its used as an insect Repeller, weed killer,
Rust dissolver, Deodorizer and a cleaning agent. Soak
Shower heads in Vinegar to remove mineral deposits.
 LITERATURE REVIEW

About Vinegar;

Vinegar is a solution made from the fermentation of

ethanol [CH3CH2OH], which in turn was previously
fermented from sugar. The Fermentation of ethanol
results in the formation of acetic acid [CH3COOH]. There
are many types of vinegar Each starting from a different
original sugar source, for example, rice, wine, malt, etc.
The amount of acetic acid in vinegar can vary, typically
between 4 to 6% for table vinegar, but up to 3 times
higher, 18% for pickling vinegar.

The first documented evidence of vinegar was by the

Babylonians in around 3000 BC, and in the late Middle
Ages, it was professionalized with factories being set in
Europe. In the 19th century, vinegar production
underwent many dramatic changes, such as rapid
industrialization and scientific analysis.
Carl Sebastian was the one to invent the first large-scale
industrial process for vinegar production in the kingdom
of Baden in 1823. Known as the packed generator, it
circulated alcohol over beech wood shavings to reduce
fermentation times from several months down to one to
two weeks. This process also facilitated the rise of
vinegar made from pure alcohol called spirit vinegar or
distilled white vinegar.
Meanwhile, vinegar fermentation became understood as
a natural and biological process. Louis Pasteur made the
decisive discovery that a special type of bacteria, later
known as acetic acid bacteria, was the agent of
fermentation for vinegar production.
Vinegar contains acetic acid, that is, an acidic, colourless
liquid and organic compound with the chemical formula
CH3COOH. The use of acetic acid in alchemy extends
into the 3rd century BC.
It was first chemically analysed by German alchemist
Andreas Libavius in the 16th century. In 1845, another
German chemist, Hermann Kolbe, synthesized acetic
acid from inorganic compounds.
Its molar mass is 60.052 gram per mole, and its melting
point and boiling points are 16 degrees Celsius and 118
degrees Celsius respectively.
 THEORY

To measure the acidity of a vinegar solution, we can add

enough hydroxyl ions to balance out the added hydrogen
ions from the acid. The hydroxyl ions will react with the
hydrogen ions to produce water.
In order for a titration to work, we need three
things: -
1. A titration solution (contains hydroxyl ions with a
precisely known concentration),
2. A method for delivering a precisely measured volume
of the titrating solution, and
3. A means of indicating when the endpoint has been
reached. For the titrating solution, we'll use a dilute
solution of sodium hydroxide (NaOH). Sodium hydroxide
is a strong base, which means that it dissociates almost
completely in water. So, for every NaOH molecule that we
add to the solution, we can expect to produce a hydroxyl
ion.
To dispense an accurately measured volume of the
titrating solution, we will use a burette. A burette is
along tube with a valve at the bottom and graduated
markings on the outside to measure the volume
contained in the burette. The burette is mounted on a
ring stand, directly above the titrant solution. Solution in
the burette tend to creep up the sides of the glass at the
surface of the liquid. This is due to the surface tension of
water. The surface of the liquid thus forms a curve,
called a meniscus. To measure the volume of the liquid
in the burette, always read from the bottom of the
meniscus.
Indicators:
In this experiment, we will use an indicator solution
called phenolphthalein. Phenolphthalein is colourless
when the solution is acidic or neutral. When the solution
becomes slightly basic, phenolphthalein turns pinkish,
and then light purple as the solution becomes more
basic. So, when the vinegar solution starts to turn pink,
we know that the titration is complete
 APPARATUS REQUIRED

1. Small funnel
2. 125ml conical flask
3. 25ml or 50ml burette
4. Burette stand
5. 10ml graduated cylinder
6. Burner
7. Ring stand
8. Burette clamp

I have used the following chemicals.

 Vinegar of three different types: -
• wine vinegar
• household vinegar
• laboratory vinegar
 Distilled water
 0.1m sodium hydroxide solution
 0.5% phenolphthalein solution in alcohol (ph.
indicator solution)
 PROCEDURE

1. Pour 1.5 ml of vinegar in a conical flask.

2. Add distilled water to dissolve the vinegar so that the
volume of the solution becomes 20 mL.
3. Add 3 drops of 0.5% phenolphthalein solution.
4. Use the burette clamp to attach the burette to the ring
stand. The opening at the bottom of the burette should
be just above the height of the conical flask we use for
the vinegar and phenolphthalein solution.
5. Use a funnel to fill the burette with a 0.1 M solution of
sodium hydroxide.
6. Note the starting level of the sodium hydroxide
solution in the burette. Put the vinegar solution to be
titrated under the burette.
7. Slowly drip the solution of sodium hydroxide into the
vinegar solution. Swirl the flask gently to mix the
solution, while
Keeping the opening underneath the burette.
8. At some point we will see a pink colour in the vinegar
solution when the sodium hydroxide is added, but the
colour will quickly disappear as the solution is mixed.
When this happens, slow the burette to drop-by-drop
addition.
9. When the vinegar solution turns pink and remains
that colour even with mixing, the titration is complete.
Close the tap (or pinch valve) of the burette.
10. Note the remaining level of the sodium hydroxide
solution in the burette. Remember to read from the
bottom of the meniscus.
11. Subtract the initial level from the remaining level to
figure out how much titrating solution we have used.
12. For each vinegar that we test, repeat the titration at
least three times.
EXPERIMENT 1
TEST FOR HOUSEHOLD VINEGAR
Take the Household vinegar in the conical flask and
titrate against NaOH as mentioned.

CHEMICAL REACTION;

CH3COOH + NaOH CH3COONa + H2O

ACETIC ACID BASE SALT WATER

OBSERVATION TABLE

CALCULATIONS
EXPERIMENT 2
TEST FOR WINE VINEGAR
Take the Wine vinegar in the conical flask and titrate
against NaOH as mentioned.
EXPERIMENT 3
TEST FOR LABORATORY VINEGAR
Take the Laboratory vinegar in the conical flask and
titrate against NaOH as mentioned.
RESULT
The strength of Acetic acid in household vinegar is
40.5gmol-1
The strength of Acetic acid in Laboratory vinegar is
22.8 gmol-1
The strength of Acetic acid in wine vinegar is
72gmol-1

GRAPH
CONCLUSION

DISADVANTAGES OF VINEGAR

1. Vinegar is well-known for its strong odour. Hence, people tend

to buy other cleaning products like Lysol because it doesn't have
a strong stench like vinegar.

2. Vinegar has a very low pH level. Hence, if vinegar is used on

certain plants, it can harm it causing them to grow slower or not
at all and even slowly kill them.

3. Some people tend to avoid using vinegar as a cleaning product

because of is price. Vinegar is much more expensive than usual
cleaning products. For instance, a gallon of vinegar is $13.40
while a gallon of bleach costs $3.05.

4. Vinegar can also affect the human health. For instance, it can
cause teeth erosion due to its acidity. Because of its low pH level,
it can cause the blood in the mouth to become thinner which can
decrease resistance to bruises and bleeding.

5. Since vinegar is highly acidic, it can cause caustic burns to the

oesophagus and stomach.
ADVANTAGES OF VINEGAR

1.Nutrition
Vinegar contains essential nutrients that are important for
healthy digestion, food metabolism and energy production. All
vinegars, particularly organic types such as apple cider vinegar,
which are less filtered and processed, are beneficial for heart,
blood vessel, and nerve and muscle health. These include
vitamins A, B-complex, C and E and minerals such as calcium,
magnesium, potassium, phosphorus and sodium.
2. Insulin Sensitivity
Resistance to the hormone insulin, which is responsible for
transporting glucose or sugar from the blood into the cells of the
body, can increase the risk for diabetes. Research published by
the American Diabetes Association shows that adding apple cider
vinegar and other varieties to your regular diet can help improve
insulin sensitivity for more stable blood glucose levels. This can
help treat insulin resistance and improve glucose control in
individuals with type 2 or adult-onset diabetes. Additionally,
vinegar lowers the glycaemic index of foods, reducing the rate at
which they raise blood glucose levels. A dose of 1 to 2
tablespoons of vinegar per day for adults can help to balance
blood glucose levels after a meal and help prevent or treat type 2
diabetes mellitus.
3. Reduce Appetite
Vinegar is a common weight-loss supplement because it can help
reduce hunger. A study published in the medical journal "BMC
Gastroenterology" reported that ingesting vinegar reduced the
rate of food digestion and lowered blood glucose and insulin
levels after eating. This helps to improve digestion, decrease
unhealthy food cravings and maintain feelings of fullness longer.
4. Reduce Acidity
Although vinegar contains high levels of acetic acid, taking as
little as 2 teaspoons a day may help to balance your body's pH
and has an alkalizing effect. Taking vinegar helps to reduce
acidity and alkalize the body, which may help improve illnesses
such as gout, arthritis, allergic reactions and headache pain
according to the National Standard. However, these effects of
vinegar have not yet been confirmed by medical studies.
PRECAUTIONS
1.Do not use any equipment unless you are trained and approved
as a user by your supervisor.
2.Wear safety glasses or face shields when working with
hazardous materials and/or equipment.
3.Wear gloves when using any hazardous or toxic agent.
4.Keep the work area clear of all materials except those needed
for your work. Coats should be hung in your room or placed in a
locker. Extra books, purses, etc. should be kept away from
equipment that requires air flow or ventilation to prevent
overheating.
5.Disposal - Students are responsible for the proper disposal of
used material if any in appropriate containers.
6.Equipment Failure - If a piece of equipment fails while being
used, report it immediately a technician. Never try to fix the
problem yourself because you could harm yourself and others.
7. Do not leave an on-going experiment unattended.
8.Never taste anything. Never pipette by mouth; use a bulb.
9.Never use open flames in laboratory unless instructed by TA.
10. Check your glassware for cracks and chips each time you use
it. Cracks could cause the glassware to fail during use and cause
serious injury to you or lab mates.
11 Never return chemicals to reagent bottles. (Try for the correct
amount and share any excess.)
12. Never allow a solvent to come in contact with your skin.
Always use gloves.
13. Never "smell" a solvent! Read the label on the solvent bottle to
identify its contents.
14. Treat every chemical as if it were hazardous.
15. Clean your lab bench and equipment, and lock the door
before you leave the laboratory.

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Studycu.com
Wikipedia.org
Bing.in/chatbot
Learnancientrome.in
Britannica.com
www2.bartley.com
academic.oup.com
alamanac.com
www.howstuffhappens.com