Lab Titration of Vinegar

Objective:
Determine the concentration of acetic acid of vinegar, in terms of %(m/m).
Introduction:
Neutralization is a reaction of an acid with a bases to produce a salt and water. For example,
the reaction of the strong acid HCl with the strong base NaOH produces the salt sodium chloride
and water:
HCl(aq) + NaOH(aq) NaCl(aq) + H2O(l)
Since the acid, base, and salt in this reaction are all strong electrolytes, the net ionic equation
for this reaction is:
H+(aq) + OH-(aq) H2O(l)
This same result occurs in the reaction of strong acid reacts with a weak base, or a weak acid
reacts with a strong base. The acid and base react to form a salt and water. The neutralization
reaction provides us with one method for determining the amount of either the acid or the base
in a solution.
The general method employed is that of titration. Titration is a procedure for determining the
amount of substance A by adding a carefully measured volume of a solution with known
concentration of B until the reaction between them is just complete. Titrations are not use
exclusively with acids and bases but anytime you need to determine the concentration of a
species in a solution.
In this lab, we will titrate a vinegar solution with a solution of sodium hydroxide, NaOH. The
active ingredient in vinegar is the weak acid, acetic acid. The structure is draw below, the red
hydrogen is the acid hydrogen. Meaning it will be the only hydrogen involved is this acid-base
reaction. The abbreviation for acetic acid is HAc.
H O
H C C O H
H
acetic acid
The sodium hydroxide will neutralize the acetic acid, HAc, in the vinegar. The Ac actually
represents the acetate anion, C2H3O2-.
HAc(aq) + NaOH(aq) NaAc(aq) + H2O(l)
Once the neutralization reaction is complete, any additional base added will produce a basic
solution. The point at which all the acetic acid has reacted with the sodium hydroxide is call the
equivalence point. We can determine when the titration is complete by employing an acid-base
indicator which will change color in a basic solution. Phenolphthalein is an acid-base indicator
that changes color from colorless to magenta. This particular indicator turns from clear to pink
in basic solution. If one extra drop of base is added after the acid has been neutralized the pH

will jump significantly. Phenolphthalein changes color at pH=8.2, one extra drop of base will
cause the solution to change color.
O-

HO
OH
2 OH

2 H2O

CO2-

As soon as very faint magenta color persist you have reached the equivalence point. At the
equivalence point, the number of moles acid will equal the number of moles base, hence:
Volumeacid Molarityacid = Volumebase Molaritybase
Thus, we can determine the molarity of the acid by titrating a known volume of the acid solution
with a known concentration and volume of a base.
Before we can proceed with the titration of the acid, we must first determine very accurately the
concentration of the sodium hydroxide solution. Although sodium hydroxide is a solid,
preparation of solutions of accurately known concentration is difficult. The base is very
hygroscopic, water absorbing. Additionally, the resulting solution tends to absorb carbon dioxide
from the air, which neutralizes some of the base. Hence, we first standardize the base against
an appropriate primary standard.
Titration standards must be stable and be capable of being measured for amount very
accurately. A typical standard for bases is the weak acid potassium hydrogen phthalate,
KHC8H4O4, which is frequently abbreviated KHP. This reaction is in a one mole ratio:
KHP(aq) + NaOH(aq) KNaP(aq) + H2O(l)
By knowing the masses of KHP, we can determine the number of moles used in the titration:
moles of KHP

mass KHP
molar mass of KHP

At the equivalence point, then:

moles NaOH = moles KHP
Thus, the molarity of the NaOH solution is determined via the volume of the base used in the
titration:
Molarity of base

moles base
volume base

Procedure:
Part 1: Preparation of approx. 0.1M NaOH
1. Prepare 500 mL of an approximately 0.1M solution of NaOH by dilution of the roughly 6M
solution provided.
2. Create a dilution scheme and present it to your lab supervisor for approval.
Part 2: Standardization of NaOH
1. Mass out 0.715g of KHP on weighing paper.
2. Transfer this to a 250 mL Erlenmeyer flask. Wash any residual KHP off the weighing paper
into the flask. Dissolve in 50 mL deionized water.
3. Add a few drops Phenolphthalein.
4. Set up the buret on a stand as shown in the diagram.
5. Titrate to the equivalence point with your NaOH solution.
6. Repeat this process for a total of three trials.
Part 3: Titration of Vinegar
1. Use a volumetric pipet to transfer 4 mL of vinegar to a 250 mL Erlenmeyer flask. Dilute this
to about 50 mL with water.
2. Add a few drops Phenolphthalein.
3. Titrate to the equivalence point with your NaOH solution.
4. Repeat this process for a total of three trials.

Data: Show all calculations on a separate sheet of paper

Part 2 Table: Standardization of NaOH
Trial #1
Trial #2

Trial #3

Mass KHP

______

______

______

End Vol.

______

______

______

Initial Vol.

______

______

______

Vol. Used

______

______

______

Molarity NaOH

______

______

______

Part 3 Table: Titration of Vinegar

Trial #1
Trial #2

Trial #3

End Vol.

______

______

______

Initial Vol.

______

______

______

Vol. Used

______

______

______

Molarity HAc

______

______

______

Ave. Molarity

______

Mass HAc

______

Ave. Molarity NaOH ______

Concluding Questions:
Assuming the density of vinegar is 1.005g/mL, determine the mass of vinegar used.

Determine the %(m/m) of HAc in vinegar. (Compare this with the nominal value supplied by the
manufacturer.)

Pre-Lab Titration of Vinegar

1.

What is the formula for calculating density?

2. What is the formula for calculating the %(m/m) of a solution?

3. What is the definition of molarity?

4. If we need 250 milliliters of a 2.0 M solution of NaCl, how would you make this? Describe
fully.

5. What is the dilution equation?

6. If you have 300 ml of a .6 M solution of NaCl, what do you do to make this solution .25 M?
How much .25 M solution will you have?

7. If you were given 250 ml of .5 M NaCl, which has a density of 1.003 g/ml, what would the %
(m/m) for the solution.