ABSTRACT

Acids is defined as substances that ionize in water to produce H + ions and bases is
defined as substances that ionize in water to produce OH - ions. Acids and bases are often
defined as being weak or strong. The purpose of this experiment are to determine the
acid ionization constants, Ka of weak acid solutions by titration with sodium hydroxide,
NaOH solution and to identify the unknown weak acid solutions from the calculated Ka
values obtained from the experiment. The experiment was conducted by using titration
method. Firstly, 0.1 M of sodium hydroxide solution was poured into the burette. After that,
10 mL of unknown acid is poured into beaker and it will be titrated with sodium hydroxide
solution to make it neutral. The pH of unknown acid is recorded by using pH meter. From the
titration curve, Ka and pKa values can be determined in order to know the unknown weak
acid used in this experiment. The result obtained from the three trials of titration show the
same results which is for Ka, the value is 5.01x 10 -6 while pKa is 5.3. Therefore, based on the
table of the acids with Ka and pKa values, it can be conclude that the unknown weak acid is
pyridinium ion acid because in this experiment, pKa and Ka value have the nearest value with
the pyridinium ion acid.
INTRODUCTION
Acids and bases same as aspirin and milk of magnesia albeit many people do not know
their chemical names- acetylsalicylic acid (known as aspirin) and magnesium hydroxide
(known as milk of magnesium).
Acids is defined as substances that ionize in water to produce H + ions and bases is
defined as substances that ionize in water to produce OH - ions. Acids and bases are often
defined as being weak or strong. While this classification seems somewhat arbitrary,
other more quantitative descriptors exist. For acids, Ka values are commonly used. The
ionization of an acid can be shown by the following equation:
HA(aq)

H+(aq)

A-(aq)

(Eq. 1)

Since an equilibrium exists, an equilibrium constant, Ka, can be written:

Ka

[H+] [A-]

(Eq. 2)

[HA]

The Ka value is an indication of acid strength. The larger the value of the Ka, the
stronger the acid. This value is characteristic of the acid and can be used to help identify an
unknown acid. A similar system exists for bases (Kb).
A more practical measure called pH had been proposed due to the concentration of H +
and OH- ions in aqueous solutions are frequently very small number and therefore
inconvenient to work with. The pH of a solution is defined as the negative logarithm of the
hydrogen on concentration (in mol/L):
pH = - log [H3O+] or pH = - log [H+]

---------------------

(Eq. 3)

The negative logarithm gives a positive number for pH, which otherwise would be
negative due to the small value of [H+]. Furthermore, the term [H+] in equation 3 pertains
only to the numerical part of the expression for hydrogen ion concentration, for we cannot
take the logarithm units. Thus, like the equilibrium constant, the pH of a solution is
dimensionless quantity.
Because pH is simply a way to express hydrogen ion concentration, acidic and basic
solution at 250C can be distinguished by their pH values, as follows:
Acidic solution:

[H+] > 1.0 x 10 -7 M, pH < 7.00

Basic solution:

[OH-] < 1.0 x 10 -7 M, pH > 7.00

Neutral solution:

[H+] = 1.0 x 10 -7 M, pH = 7.00

Note that pH increases as [H+] decreases.

Sometimes we may be given the pH value of a solution and asked the H + ion
concentration. In the case, we need to take the antilog of equation 3 as follows:
[H3O+] = 10 pH or [H+] = 10 pH

---------------------

(Eq. 4)

OBJECTIVE
The aims of the experiment are to determine the acid ionization constants, K a of weak acid
solutions by titration with sodium hydroxide, NaOH solution and to identify the unknown
acid solutions from the calculated Ka values obtained from the experiment.
THEORY

Arrhenius definitions of acids and bases are limited in that they apply to the aqueos
solution only. Bronsted acid is define as a proton donor while a bronsted bases is define as a
proton acceptor. According to the Bronsted-Lowrey acid-base theory, the strength of an acid
is related to its ability to donate protons. All acid-base reactions are then competitions
between bases of various strengths for these protons. For example, the strong acid HCl reacts
with water according to the equation:
H3O+(aq) + Cl-(aq)

HC1(aq) + H2O(1)

HCl is a strong acid and is completely ionized, in other words, 100 percent ionized in
dilute solution. Consequently, the [H3O+] of 0.1 M HCl is 0.1 M. The HCl is a stronger acid
than
water and donates a proton to water to form H3O+ .
By contrast, acetic acid, CH3COOH, is a weak acid and is only slight1y dissociated, as
shown in the equation:
CH3COOH (aq) + H2O(1)

H3O+(aq) + CH3COO-(aq)

Its acid ionization constant, as shown below, is therefore small:

H 3O

CH 3 COO

CH 3 COOH

1.76x10

Acetic acid only partially dissociates in aqueous solution, and an appreciable quantity of unionized acetic acid remains in solution.
The vast majority of acids are weak acids. Consider a weak monoprotic acid, HA. The
ionization of weak acid is represented by
HA (aq) + H2O(l)

H3O+(aq) + A-(aq)

Or simply
HA(aq)

H+(aq) + A-(aq)

The equilibrium expression for this ionization is

Ka =

+
H 3 O

+
H

or A

where Ka is the acid ionization constant, the equilibrium constant for the ionization of an acid.
At a given temperature, the strength of acid HA is measured quantitatively by the magnitude
of Ka. The larger the value of Ka, the stronger the acid will be, the greater the concentration of
H+ ions at equilibrium due to its ionization.
Strong acids usually have Ka > 1 where Ka is the dissociation constant. This is because it
is typically dissociate completely while weak acids tends to have K a value smaller than 1.
When a strong base is added to a solution of a weak acid, the hydroxide ion reacts with some
of the H3O+ present, therefore disturbing the equilibrium. More of the acid will dissociate
until a new equilibrium is established.

PROCEDURE
1. A burette is rinsed with tap water and then with distilled water. It is clean if the burette
drains without leaving drops of water behind. If not, the burette is washed with dilute
detergent solution.
2. Some of the sodium hydroxide is poured into the beaker and this small amount is
poured into the burette and let it drain trough into a waste beaker. The burette is filled
with sodium hydroxide solution. Make sure the tip of the burette is completely filled.
3. 10 mL of the unknown acid is transferred into a beaker and enough water is added to
the beaker so that the end of the pH electrode is covered.
4. The reading of the sodium hydroxide in the burette and the pH initial for the unknown
acid is recorded.
5. The pH electrode is rinsed and it is placed in the beaker with the acid. Your set-up is
adjusted so that the burette containing sodium hydroxide is over the beaker.
6. A small portion of the sodium hydroxide is added little by little to the acid sample.
After each addition, the total volume of sodium hydroxide added and the pH of the
solution is recorded.
7. Drop by drop of the smaller portions of the sodium hydroxide is added when the pH
begins to rise rapidly. The adding portion is continued until the pH is in the base
region.
4

8. The titrated acid sample in the beaker is discarded and the titration is repeated twice
more.
9. The graph of pH vs volume of sodium hydroxide added is plotted. The equivalence
point on each graph is determined.
10. The amount of the base needed to reach half way to the equivalence point is
determined. The pH at this volume of base is converted to [H+] to give the K a of the
acid.

APPARATUS AND MATERIAL

Apparatus
Retort stand
Beaker

Descriptions
To hold the burette.
All solutions used in this experiment were placed in

pH meter
Burette
Measuring cylinder

these beakers.
To measure changes of pH value of the solution.
To place the NaOH solution for titration.
To measure and transfer the right amount of solutions
needed from its actual container into the beaker.

Materials
Sodium hydroxide, NaOH solid.
Unknown acid
Distilled water.
RESULT
Titration 1
Volume

10

4.3

4.6

4.9

5.0

5.2

5.3

5.5

5.7

6.0

6.6

10.7

11

12

of
NaOH
(ml)
pH
Values

11.12 11.30

at pH
At 7pH 7

Figure 1: Titration 1

Titration 2
Volume

9.5

9.6

9.7

of
NaOH
(ml)
6

pH
Values

4.2

4.5

4.8

5.0

5.1

5.3

5.5

5.7

5.9

6.3

7.03

7.30

8.31

Figure 2: Titration 2

Titration 3
Volume
of
NaOH
(ml)
pH
Values

9.5

9.6

4.2
5

4.5
7

4.8
0

4.9
9

5.1
8

5.3
5

5.5
2

5.7
0

6.1
3

6.5
2

7.22

7.65

Graph of pH values versus volume of NaOH

9
8
7
6
5

pH value

4
3
2
1
0

4 Figure 3: Titration
6
3

10

12

Volume of NaOH solution (mL)

Overall Results
Volume of unknown
acid (mL)
Volume of NaOH
solution (at
equivalence point)
needed to neutralize
the unknown acid

Titration 1
10

Titration 2
10

Titration 3
10

9.18

9.4

9.3

(mL)
Volume of half
equivalence point
(mL)
pH value at half
equivalence point

4.59

4.7

4.65

5.3

5.3

5.3

SAMPLES OF CALCULATION
HA H+ + AH

+
pH =

log
Thus,
[H+] = 10- pH
Where, pH is at half equivalence point which is 5.3
+
H

K a=
Volume of sodium hydroxide to neutralize the unknown acid at half equivalence = Volume of
sodium hydroxide to neutralize the unknown acid 2. For example (using titration 1)
Half volume of equivalence point = 9.18 mL 2
= 4.59 mL
At half equivalence point, exactly half the acid has been converted into its conjugate base so,
at this point [H+] = [A-]. Therefore:H

K a=
9

And
p K a= pH
Titration
1

pH at half
pKa
Ka
equivalence
From the figure 1, pKa = pH at half [H+] = 10- pH
pH
at
half equivalence
= 10-5.3
equivalence = 5.3
Therefore, pKa = 5.3
= 5.01 x 10-6
Thus,
Ka = [H+]
= 5.01 x 10-6
From the figure 2, pKa = pH at half [H+] = 10- pH
pH
at
half equivalence
= 10-5.3
equivalence = 5.3
Therefore, pKa = 5.3
= 5.01 x 10-6
Thus,
Ka = [H+]
= 5.01 x 10-6
From the figure 3, pKa = pH at half [H+] = 10- pH
pH
at
half equivalence
= 10-5.3
equivalence = 5.3
Therefore, pKa = 5.3
= 5.01 x 10-6
Thus,
Ka = [H+]
= 5.01 x 10-6

DISCUSSION
This is experiment was conducted to calculate the pKa and Ka value. The pKa and Ka
values should be known in order to identify the unknown acid used in this experiment. This
experiment was conducted by using titration method. Titration method is a technique where a
solution of known concentration is used to determine the concentration of an unknown
solution. Typically, the titrant (the know solution) is added from a burette to a known quantity
of the analyte (the unknown solution) until the reaction is complete. Knowing the volume of
titrant added allows the determination of the concentration of the unknown. Often, an
indicator is used to usually signal the end of the reaction, the endpoint. Burette is used as an
important apparatus for titration method. A typical burette has a small calibration unit of 0.1
mL, therefore, volume dispense from the burette should be estimated to the nearest 0.01 mL.
From the Figure 1, 2 and 3 it shows the graph of pH value versus volume of sodium
hydroxide solution used in the experiment. From the Figure 1, 2 and 3, the red line indicate
the equivalence point (the point where the unknown acid start to neutralize) and the green
line indicate the half equivalence point. The volume of sodium hydroxide solution needed to

10

neutralize the unknown acid is 9.18 mL, 9.4 mL and 9.3 mL respectively for each figure. For
figure 1 shows an increasing pattern but not very smooth. This is because when the unknown
acid has been neutralizing, it will give a sudden change in the pH which is from the value of
6.67 to 10.72. Therefore, it has a little unstable increasing graph pattern.
In order to identify the unknown acid, the pKa and Ka value should be calculated. In
order to calculate the pKa and Ka value, we need to know the pH value at half equivalence
point. The half equivalence point is got from the volume of sodium hydroxide solution
needed to neutralize the unknown acid divided by two. From the figure 1, 2 and 3, the half
equivalence point are 4.59 mL, 4.7 mL and 4.65 mL respectively.
From the calculation shown above, when half equivalence point is known, Ka is equal to
the [H+] because in half equivalence point, exactly half the acid has been converted into its
conjugate base so at that point [H+] is equal to [A-]. pH can be calculated from the log [H+].
Based on the three graph above, the pH at equivalence point for each titration is 5.3.
According to the formula pKa = pH, therefore there pKa value has the same value with pH
value which is 5.3. The value of Ka can be obtained by using formula pH = log [H +], Ka
value is equal to [H+]. The Ka value for the three titration is 5.01 x 10 -6. From the table of Ka,
it shows that the unknown acid is known as pyridinium ion acid.
CONCLUSION
As for the conclusion, the experiment was successfully conducted. The unknown acid
used in this experiment can be determine. The pKa and Ka values also can be determined.
From the Ka value and pKa value obtained from the calculation, it can be concluded when Ka
is 5.01 x 10-6 and pKa is 5.3, the unknown acid is known as pyridinium ion acid which it has a
near value of pKa and Ka with this experiment.
RECOMMENDATION
1. Before the experiment started, pour small amount of sodium hydroxide solution into
the burette before adding a whole burette with sodium hydroxide solution in order to
make sure there is no other substance or materials in the beaker that can affected the
result.
2. Make sure there is no bubble present in the burette before start the titration process to
get accurate volume of sodium hydroxide.
3. The pH meter must be calibrated first before been used in order to obtain the precise
result.
4. For every pH reading, the pH rod must be rinsed with distilled water to remove any
impurities.
11

5. The pH will change rapidly when it near the equivalent point, in order to prevent any
error, the titration process must be done slowly through this point.
REFERENCE
1. Chemical laboratory manual CHE485, faculty of chemical engineering, UITM
Shah Alam.
2. Chang, R., Goldsby, K. A., Chemistry (11th edition), Acid-base equilibria and
solubility equilibria (p g 722).
3. What is titration? Retrieved from
http://chemed.chem.purdue.edu/genchem/lab/techniques/titration/what.html,
October 15, 2015.
4. pH and pKa. Retrieved from http://chemistry.tutorvista.com/inorganicchemistry/ph-and-pka.html, October 17, 2015.

APPENDICES

12