Results

Volume of NaOH used (mL)

0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10

Titration 1 (pH)
3.09
4.43
8.95
10.09
10.41
10.59
10.72
10.76
10.89
10.96
11.02

Titration 2 (pH)
3.14
4.16
8.87
10.19
10.47
10.58
10.79
10.87
10.95
11.01
11.04

Titration 1 (pH)
12

10

Equivalence point

Titration 1 (pH)

Half-equivalence point

0
0

10

12

Titration 2 (pH)

12

10

Equivalence point

Titration 2 (pH)

Half-equivalence point

0
0

10

12

Calculations
Titration 1
By using equation (10), pH at half -equivalence point = pKa = 5.3

To calculate the acid ionization constant, by using equation (5):

pKa

= log Ka

5.3

= -log Ka

Ka

= arc log -5.3

= 5.01 x 10-6

Titration 2
By using equation (10), pH at half -equivalence point = pKa = 5.3

To calculate the acid ionization constant, by using equation (5):

pKa

= log Ka

5.3

= -log Ka

Ka

= arc log -5.3

= 5.01 x 10-6

Average Ka for titration 1 and titration 2 = (5 . 0 1 x 1 0 - 6 + 5 . 0 1 x 1 0 - 6 )

2
-6
= 5.01 x 10

Likewise,from the reaction equation,

HA (aq) + H2O (liq.) <> H3O+ (aq) + A- (aq)
b y considering the following ICE table:

components

HA

H3O+

A-

Initial

0.1

0.1 x

+ x

+ x

0.1 - x

concentration
Change in
concentration
Concentration at
Equilibrium
The concentration of H3O+ is calculated using the average value of pH
reading from the titration conducted in the earlier experiment.
pH
3.12

= -log [H3O+]
= -log [H3O+]

[H3O+] = arc log (-3.12)

= 7.59 x 10-4

Thus, the acid ionization constant, Ka of the unknown monoprotic acid is

dtermine by using equation (1) :

Ka

(x)(x)__
0.1

(x)

(x)2___
0.1

(x)

= (7.59 x 10-4)2
0.1

(7.59 x 10-4)

= 5.80 x 10-5

Thus, the pKa is equal to:

pKa

= -log Ka
= -log (5.80 x 10-5)
= 4.24

SAMPLE ERROR CALCULAT ION

The unknown acid is identified to be potassium hydrogen phthalate .

H o w e v e r , t h e o r e t i c a l l y, t h e p K a v a l u e f o r p o t a s s i u m h yd r o g e n p h t h a l a t e i s
5.5, whereas the Ka value corresponds to the unknwon monoprotic acid
from the titration is 3.16 x 10-6. Thus, the percentage errors for each
theoretical value to the calculated value are:
Percentage error (pKa) = 5.50 5.30 x 100%
5.50
= 3.64 %

Discussion
The experiment is aimed at determining the Ka value of an unknown acid which then the value
of Ka will be used to determine the unknown acid. Therefore a table of values of acids with their
respective Ka is used to compare the value calculated and to identify the acid. The first part in
determining the Ka is to determine the equivalence point from the graph obtained. Then the
value pKa is obtained by taking half of the value of equivalence point and the pKa is obtained.
The given solution was the revealed to be p o t a s s i u m h y d r o g e n p h t h a l a t e . After analyzing
the pKa value, it is similar to potassium hydrogen phthalate. The pKa value of the unknown acid
in the experiment is 5.3 whereas theoretical potassium hydrogen phthalates pKa value is 5.5.
With the main objective of the experiment is to determine the pKa value of the unknown acid so
as to identify the acid, however the precise value could not be obtained due to errors whilst
conducting the experiment. An error of 3.64 percent is obtained after comparing the theoretical
value with the experimental value is obtained. Therefore, a few errors or lack of awareness of the
precautions that must be considered when conducting the experiments may be the reasons that
lead to the errors in the value obtained.
First error that might affect the calculated values is done during when rinsing the burette with
distilled water. There are some water left inside the tube of the burette and this would affect the
concentration of the solution entering the burette. Hence, the titration curves might not have the
accurate values as the concentration of sodium hydroxide is not perfectly as set before the
experiment is conducted.
Secondly, the pH meter that has been used has never given the definite readings, as the values
that are shown are always changing in the region of about plus minus 0.1 pH. Thus, one can
never tell the accurate readings of pH values. The small difference in the pH would affect the
curve of the titration graph. Therefore, these will also affect the titration curves as well as pKa
values which correspond to the pH values at half equivalence point.
Besides that, the equivalence point is not necessarily being at pH of 7 as it occurs just when the
concentration of acid is equal to the concentration of base reacted in solution. Therefore, the final
pH depends on the major species of ions left in the solution after the reaction.