A 25.0mL aliquot of 0.10M acetic acid is titrated with 0.10 M sodium hydroxide solution

A. What is the pH of the acid solution before NaOH is added?
B. What is the pH after 15.0mL of sodium hydroxide solution is added? Hint: Solve by showing the following order of:
1. Balanced actual and net ionic equation for the initial reaction,
2. Initial moles and Concentrations of the two reactants,
3. Final concentration using ICE table &
4. pH calculation.
C. According to your calculations [in(B)], which species is the limiting reagent and by what amount?
D. What is the pH of the solution after 25.0mL of 0.10 NaOH is added ?Hint: Follow similar steps done in (B). However, you will also include the equilibrium reaction of acetate ion with water in ICE table, find the equilibrium concentration, and then determine the pH.
E. Sketch the titration curve for 25.0mL of 0.10 M acetic acid with 0.10 M sodium hydroxide according to your calculations.

1 answer

To solve this titration problem step by step, let's begin with the relevant information.

Given Information:

  • Volume of acetic acid (HA): 25.0 mL
  • Concentration of acetic acid (HA): 0.10 M
  • Volume of NaOH solution used: varies (0 mL, then 15.0 mL, then 25.0 mL)
  • Concentration of NaOH: 0.10 M

A. pH of the acid solution before NaOH is added

Step 1: Calculate the pKa of acetic acid: The dissociation reaction of acetic acid (HA) can be represented as follows:

\[ \text{HA} \rightleftharpoons \text{H}^+ + \text{A}^- \]

Where:

  • HA = acetic acid (CH₃COOH)
  • A⁻ = acetate ion (CH₃COO⁻)

For acetic acid, \( K_a \approx 1.8 \times 10^{-5} \).

Using the relationship:

\[ pK_a = -\log(K_a) \implies pK_a = -\log(1.8 \times 10^{-5}) \approx 4.76 \]

Step 2: Calculate the pH using the formula: Using the formula for weak acids, we can approximate the pH using:

\[ pH = \frac{1}{2}(pK_a - \log[C_0]) \]

Where \( C_0 = 0.10, M \):

\[ pH \approx \frac{1}{2}(4.76 - \log(0.10)) \]

Using \( \log(0.10) = -1 \):

\[ pH \approx \frac{1}{2}(4.76 + 1) = \frac{5.76}{2} \approx 2.88 \]

B. pH after adding 15.0 mL of NaOH

Step 1: Balanced equations The balanced actual equation:

\[ \text{HA}(aq) + \text{NaOH}(aq) \rightarrow \text{A}^-(aq) + \text{H}_2\text{O}(l) \]

Step 2: Initial moles and concentrations

  • Moles of acetic acid (initial): \[ \text{Moles} = C \times V = 0.10, M \times 0.025, L = 0.0025, moles \]

  • Moles of NaOH added: \[ \text{Moles} = C \times V = 0.10, M \times 0.015, L = 0.0015, moles \]

Step 3: Use ICE table

| | HA | A⁻ | H⁺ | |------------------|--------------|--------------|---------------| | Initial (mol) | 0.0025 | 0 | 0 | | Change (mol) | -0.0015 | +0.0015 | +0.0015 | | Equilibrium (mol)| 0.0010 | 0.0015 | 0.0015 |

Equilibrium concentrations (in total 40 mL):

  • \[ \text{[HA]} = \frac{0.0010}{0.040} = 0.025, M \]
  • \[ \text{[A⁻]} = \frac{0.0015}{0.040} = 0.0375, M \]
  • \[ \text{[H⁺]} = \frac{0.0015}{0.040} = 0.0375, M \]

Step 4: Calculate pH

Using the concentration of H⁺:

\[ \text{pH} = -\log[H^+] = -\log(0.0375) \approx 1.43 \]

C. Limiting reagent and amount

The limiting reagent is acetic acid (HA). The initial amount was 0.0025 moles, and after 15 mL of NaOH added, 0.0015 moles were consumed, leaving:

\[ 0.0025 - 0.0015 = 0.0010, moles \text{ of HA remaining} \]

Thus, the limiting reagent is HA by 0.0015 moles.

D. pH after adding 25.0 mL NaOH

Step 1: Moles after 25 mL added

  • Moles of NaOH: \[ \text{Moles} = 0.10, M \times 0.025, L = 0.0025, moles \]

Step 2: Reaction Stoichiometry

  • Initial moles of acetic acid: 0.0025 moles
  • Moles of NaOH added: 0.0025 moles

Balanced equation: \[ \text{HA} + \text{NaOH} \rightarrow \text{A}^- + \text{H}_2\text{O} \]

Change in moles:

| | HA | A⁻ | H⁺ | |------------------|----------------|----------------|----------------| | Initial (mol) | 0.0025 | 0 | 0 | | Change (mol) | -0.0025 | +0.0025 | +0 | | Equilibrium (mol)| 0 | 0.0025 | 0 |

Now, as all the acetic acid has reacted:

Step 3: Calculate concentrations in total volume of 50 mL:

  • \[ \text{[A⁻]} = \frac{0.0025}{0.050} = 0.050, M \]

Step 4: Calculate pH using the \( K_b \) of the acetate ion:

\[ K_w = 1.0 \times 10^{-14} \Rightarrow K_b = \frac{K_w}{K_a} \]

\[ K_b = \frac{1.0 \times 10^{-14}}{1.8 \times 10^{-5}} \approx 5.56 \times 10^{-10} \]

Using the formula for weak bases:

\[ K_b = \frac{[OH^-]^2}{[A^-]} \]

Let \( x = [OH^-] \):

\[ 5.56 \times 10^{-10} = \frac{x^2}{0.050} \] \[ x^2 = 5.56 \times 10^{-10} \times 0.050 \implies x^2 \approx 2.78 \times 10^{-11} \implies x \approx 5.27 \times 10^{-6} \]

Now, calculating pOH:

\[ pOH = -\log(5.27 \times 10^{-6}) \approx 5.28 \]

And converting to pH:

\[ pH + pOH = 14 \Rightarrow pH = 14 - 5.28 \approx 8.72 \]

E. Titration Curve Sketch

  1. Beginning (pH ~ 2.88): Start with acetic acid, a weak acid.
  2. At 15.0 mL NaOH: pH rises, partially neutralized (pH ~ 4.76).
  3. At 25.0 mL NaOH: Complete neutralization reached near the equivalence point resulting in a pH of ~8.72.
  4. After The Equivalence Point (beyond 25.0 mL): The pH would continue to rise more rapidly reflecting the addition of excess base.

This progression will be a curve, starting low and gradually climbing upward, with an inflection point around the equivalence point (approximately at 25 mL added), where the change in pH becomes very rapid.

[Insert your own sketch following these descriptions, as I'm unable to create visual diagrams.]