PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY LABORATORY

Thermochemistry- Heat of Neutralization

CALCULATIONS

I. Calculation of the calorimeter constant

∆T=Tf-Ti=30-21.8=8.2°C

2x[H2SO4]=[H3O+]

[H2SO4]=[(1.86g/mL)/(98g/mol)]x[2.5mL/(2.5+75mL)]x1000mL/Lx(98.5/100)

=0.597mol/L

[H3O+](Theoretical)=0.597mol/Lx2=1.076mol/L

M(H3O+)(experimental)xV(H3O+)=M(NaOH)xV(NaOH)

M(H3O+)(experimental)x25mL=26.9mLx1mol/L

M(H3O+)(experimental)=1.079mol/L

If q for 0.486 mol/L is 1.32 kJ, q for 1.076 mol/L is

= (1.32x1.076)/0.486 =2.922kJ

q=Ccal ∆T

2.922x103=CCalx8.2 CCal=356.34J/°C
II. Determination of heat of neutralization

n(NaOH)titrated=MHClxVHCl=1mol/Lx12.2mL=0.0122mol

n(NaOH)unneutralized= n(NaOH)titratedx(77.5mL/25mL)=0.0378 mol

n(NaOH) neutralized= n(NaOH)initial- n(NaOH)titrated=25x10-3Lx1mol/L-0.0122mol

=0.0128 mol

∆Tneut=∆T2-∆Tdilution=(26.4-23.1)-(22.6-22.4)=3.1 °C

Ccal,2= Ccalx(76.25/75)= 356.34x(76.25/75)=362.28J/°C

qneut= Ccal,2x∆Tneut=362.28J/°Cx3.1°C=1123 J

∆Hneut= qneut/ n(NaOH) neut=87.74 kJ/mol

QUESTIONS

1. Hess' Law states that the enthalpy change accompanying a chemical change is
independent of the route by which the chemical change occurs; in other words,
the heat evolved or absorbed in a chemical process is the same whether the
process takes place in one or in several steps.
2. Specific heat is amount of heat required to raise the temperature of 1 gram of
substance 1oC while heat capacity is amount of heat required to raise the
temperature of any amount of substance through 1oC.
3. In endothermic reactions, heat is removed from the system and ∆H>0. On the
other hand, there is a heat evolution in exothermic reactions; therefore ∆H<0
4. The reactions take place in a bomb calorimeter, which is an isothermally isolated
system. Since the container is covered with an isolating matter, there is no gain or
loss during the processes.
5. The system tries to reach to the equilibrium temperature that is the room
temperature. Initially, its temperature is lower than the room temperature, thus it
increases. After the reaction, its temperature is higher than the room temperature
and it should cool down to reach the equilibrium.
6. Initially, its temperature would be the same; however, after addition of the
reagent, there would be sharp decrease in temperature and line would have a
raising slope.

DISCUSSION

In this experiment, heat of neutralization of nitric acid by sodium hydroxide was

studied. Firstly, calorimeter constant was determined by using neutralization
reaction of sulfuric acid with sodium hydroxide whose enthalpy is known. Then,
nitric acid is neutralized with sodium hydroxide and ∆T value is obtained. Since,
there is a heat evolution during dilution of HNO3 and to eliminate this factor, ∆T dilution
of HNO3 is separately obtained and subtracted from ∆T2 value so that temperature
change that only resulted from heat evolved from neutralization is obtained.
REFERENCES

http://eduframe.net/

http://www.science.uwaterloo.ca/

http://www.chemguide.co.uk/physical/energetics/sums.html