To determine the pH of a solution made from 6 fluid oz of water combined with 58 g of sodium hydroxide, you would need to perform a pH test using a pH meter or pH indicator strips.
However, instead of relying solely on pH to determine the strength of the lye made from potassium hydroxide, it would be more accurate to calculate the molarity or concentration of the solution. This can be achieved by using the molecular weight and stoichiometry of the chemicals involved.
To calculate the molarity of the sodium hydroxide solution, you can follow these steps:
1. Calculate the number of moles of sodium hydroxide (NaOH) using its molecular weight. The molecular weight of NaOH is approximately 40 g/mol.
Number of moles = mass of NaOH / molecular weight of NaOH
Number of moles = 58 g / 40 g/mol
Number of moles = 1.45 mol
2. Convert the fluid ounces of water to liters. Assuming 1 fluid oz is equal to 29.6 mL.
Volume of water = 6 fluid oz * 29.6 mL/fluid oz * (1 L / 1000 mL)
Volume of water = 0.178 L
3. Calculate the molarity (M) of the sodium hydroxide solution using the formula:
Molarity = number of moles / volume of solution in liters
Molarity = 1.45 mol / 0.178 L
Molarity ≈ 8.15 M
Now that you have the molarity of the sodium hydroxide solution, you can aim to create a potassium hydroxide solution with a similar molarity by adjusting the concentration or volume of the solution. Keep in mind that the molar mass of potassium hydroxide (KOH) is approximately 56 g/mol.
You can repeat the above steps by replacing the values with potassium hydroxide to calculate the molarity of the solution made from dissolving wood ash in water. Adjust the volume with heat or by adding more water to achieve the desired molarity, which will duplicate the strength of the sodium hydroxide solution for your soap recipes.