CONDUCTOMETRIC TITRATION: DETERMINATION OF THE STRENGTH OF A

SOLUTION OF HYDROCHLORIC ACID (HCl) BY A STANDARD SOLUTION OF

SODIUM HYDROXIDE (NaOH)
Aguilar, J., Antazo, F., Lumayag, L., Naguit, P., Ragos, E.
Department of Chemistry, College of Science
University of Santo Tomas

ABSTRACT
Conductivity the degree to which a specified material conducts electricity, calculated as the ratio
of the current density in the material to the electric field that causes the flow of current. It is the
reciprocal of the resistivity. Conductometric titration is a type of titration in which the electrolytic
conductivity of the reaction mixture is continuously monitored as one reactant is added. The
equivalence point is the point at which the conductivity undergoes a sudden change. In this
experiment, HCl is titrated with NaOH. Based from the graph, the conductivity decreases until
the end point is reached, where excess NaOH brings about a gradual increase in conductivity.
The strength of the acid was calculated with a value at 0.085 N. In conclusion with these
experiment, conductometric titration refers to the species in the solution are converted to non-
ionic for by neutralization, precipitation, etc. are of more value.

INTRODUCTION conductance are associated with the

Conductometric titration is a method in
which we determine the point where
reaction is completed with the help of
conductometer that measures the changes
in conductance of solution produced by the
ions in the solution[1]. This type of titration
is where the electrolytic conductivity of the
reaction mixture is continuously monitored
as once reactant is added. This titration
makes use of a conductometer in which the
principle of ohm's law is observed where the
current strength flowing through a conductor
is directly proportional to the potential
difference and inversely proportional to the
resistance of the conductor [1].
The equivalence point is where the
conductivity undergoes a sudden change
[2]. An increase or decrease in the
change in concentration of the two most
highly conducting ions-hydrogen and
hydroxyl ions. As the hydrochloric acid is
titrated with the sodium hydroxide, the
hydrogen ions are progressively replaced by
the sodium ions decreasing the
conductance of the solution. After the end
point, the conductance of the solution
increases due to the presence of excess
hydroxide ions [2].
METHODOLOGY
Upon performing the conductometric
titration, the needed materials, glasswares
and primary equipment namely the
conductometer were prepared. The
conductivity cell was rinsed off a few times
with distilled water. Then, 20 milliliters of 0.1
M HCl was pipetted into a beaker
consequently, the conductivity cell was
dipped onto the solution. the students made
sure that the temperature of the sample
solution control was set accordingly at a Figure 1. Schematic presentation of the
room temperature. Addition of NaOH titration curves for the titration of HCl
solution from the burette was done by against NaOH
dropping a few amounts of the solution.
Measurement of the conductance using the The table below shows the results of
conductometer was determined every after the resulting conductance measured on the
addition of the NaOH solution to the Analyte amount of NaOH.
containing the HCl solution. The
conductance of each addition of the NaOH
solution was noted. Subsequently, a graph Table 1. Amount of NaOH and resulting
between conductance versus volume of the conductance
titrant specifically, NaOH solution was Volume Conductance Volume Conductance
plotted. NaOH NaOH
(mL) (mL)
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
0.00 19.96 9.5 12.41
Conductometric titration is a 0.5 19.96 10.0 11.93
scientific process in determining the quantity
of a sample by measuring the conductance 1.0 19.95 10.5 11.48
of the solution until the end point is
1.5 19.94 11.0 10.86
reached.[1] The end point of the titration is
indicated by an indicator which shows that 2.0 19.92 11.5 10.35
the amount of the reactant that is necessary
for the reaction to be complete has been 2.5 19.89 12.0 9.82
added to the solution.[2] 3.0 19.86 12.5 9.28

In the titration of HCl by NaOH, the 3.5 19.80 13.0 8.81

conductivity decreases until the end point is
4.0 19.71 13.5 8.35
reached, where excess NaOH brings about
a gradual increase in conductivity as shown 4.5 19.30 14.0 7.77
in the figure below. [3]
5.0 18.78 14.5 7.09

5.5 18.02 15.0 6.75

6.0 17.25 15.5 6.22

6.5 16.72 16.0 5.87

7.0 15.96 16.5 5.37

7.5 14.98 17.0 5.03

8.0 14.57 17.5 5.32

8.5 13.96 18.0 5.54

 9.0 13.36 18.5 5.74
V1S1=V2S2
19.0 5.91 22.5 7.17
Where V1= Volume of HCl taken
19.5 6.10 23.0 7.32 S1= Strength of Acid
20.0 6.30 23.5 7.52 V2= Volume NaOH at equivalence
point
20.5 6.48 24.0 7.63 S2= Strength of NaOH (0.1 x N)

21.0 6.64 24.5 7.75

21.5 6.82 25.0 7.9
22.0 7.02
The table showed that the
equivalence point of the titration was when
17.0 mL of NaOH was added. Furthermore,
the graph below shows that the
conductance decreased upon the addition
of NaOH in the HCl solution which signifies
that the Na+ ions are slowly replacing the
fast H+ ions in the solution.[3]
Figure 2. Graph on the titration curve for
the titration of HCl against NaOH
The decrease in the conductance of
the solution continues until it reached the
end point where the decrease in
conductance stops and excess NaOH in the
solution caused a gradual increase in the
conductance of the solution.[3]
Therefore, when rearranging the equation to
isolate S1, the equation is,
S1= (V2S2/20) (N)
Based on the equation, the strength
of the HCl acid was 0.085 N.
CONCLUSION
The electrical conductance of a
solution is a measure of its currents carrying
capacity and therefore determined by the
total ionic strength. It is a non-specific
property and for this reason direct
conductance measurement are of little use
unless the solution contains only the
electrolyte to be determined or the
concentrations of other ionic species in the
solution are known. Shown from data
gathered the end point lies on 17.0 mL with
a conductance at 5.03 where there is a
decrease in conductance and a gradual
increase in the conductance of the solution
caused by an excess NaOH. Furthermore,
the strength of the acid was calculated with
a value at 0.085 N. In addition,
conductometric titrations, in which the
species in the solution are converted to non-
ionic for by neutralization, precipitation, etc.
are of more value.

The strength of the acid was also

calculated using the equation,
REFERENCES

[1] Werkmeister, P., & Cleveland State

University. (1974). Automation of a
conductometric titration. Cleveland:
Werkmeister.

[2] Himpler, H. A., Schweikert, E. A.,

Barnes, G. E., Pettersen, R. C., Rowe, M.
W., & Texas A & M University,. (1979).
Analytical applications of electrode sensors.

[3] Royal Society of Chemistry (2018).

Conductometric titration. Retrieved March
15, 2018 from
http://www.rsc.org/publishing/journals/prosp
ect/ontology.asp?id=CMO:0002143&MSID=
C3PY00181D

[4] Author (n.d). End point. Retrieved March

15, 2018 from
http://www.chem.purdue.edu/jmol/gloss/end
point.html

[5] Banica, F.G. (2011). Conuctometric

Titration. Retrieved March 15, 2018 from
http://folk.ntnu.no/floban/KJ%20%202051/C
onductometry.pdf