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Experiment :  To use this standard sodium carbonate solution to find the concentration of (standardise) a given hydrochloric acid solution.

Procedure

  • Place 20 ml of 0.0.48 Molar sodium carbonate into a conical flask using a pipette.
  • Add two drops of methyl red indicator. This will give a yellow colour to the solution. Note: the number of drops of indicator should be kept to a minimum as most indicators are either weak acids or bases and will therefore take part in the neutralisation process.
  • Place the hydrochloric acid in the burette and adjust the level to zero, taking all of the usual precautions.
  • Titrate in the usual manner.
  • Record the volume of acid required to neutralise the sodium carbonate. The point of neutralisation is reached when the indicator just turns red (pink).
  • Repeat the titration several times until two titration values agree to within 0.2 ml of each other.

Equation for the titration

Results

  • Volume of the acid = 19.2 ml
  • Factor for the acid = 2 (the number in front of HCl in the balanced equation)
  • Molarity of the acid = ?
  • Volume of the base = 20 ml
  • Factor for the base = 1 (the number in front of sodium carbonate in the balanced equation)
  • Molarity of the base = 0.048 M

Calculations