Justine Camille C.

Castillo
2ChE-D
Group 2

Date Performed: March 18, 2015

Date Submitted: March 23, 2015

Experiment no. 5
Analysis of Soda Ash

Introduction
This experiment aims to determine the percent alkalinity of Na 2CO3 in a soda ash
sample by using titration. Soda ash, also known as crude sodium carbonate (Na 2CO3),
may have impurities since it is synthesized by heating the sodium bicarbonate
(NaHCO3) to 300oC which usually has CO2 and H2O by-products. [1]
2NaHCO3 Na2CO3 + CO2 + H2O
It is a weak base which has an acid neutralizing capacity, which is also known as
its alkalinity value.

[2]

Sodium carbonate can be stated in terms of percent sodium

carbonate and can be determined by titrating it with a standard acid.

The terms related to titration used in this experiment are titrant, titrate, indicator,
and end point of titration. Titration is a technique used to determine the concentration of
a solute, in which a titrant is added to the titrate until its end point is reached. Titrant is
the solution with the known concentration. Titrate, on the other hand, is the one with an
unknown concentration. It is the one being analyzed in this technique. Initial and final
volumes of the titrate and the titrant are measured carefully for the computations to be
done after performing the experiment Indicator is used to determine whether the titration
has reached its end point or not. End point of titration is the point where a physical
change, such as changing in color, is observed.

[3]

Materials Used
The materials used in this experiment were impure Na 2CO3, concentrated HCl,
standard 0.1 M NaOH, methyl orange, analytical balance, base and acid burets,
cylinder, stirring rod, pipettes and flasks.

Methodology
The experiment started with the preparation of HCl solution by gradually adding
8.4 mL of concentrated HCl to a liter of distilled H 2O. This solution was standardized by
titrating 0.1 M NaOH with the HCl solution as the titrant. Two burets were used for this
experiment, one for base and one for acid. The acid buret was filled with the solution
prepared on the first step. The base buret, on the other hand, was filled with standard
0.1 M NaOH. 20 mL of this solution was then transferred to a dry 250 mL flask. 3 to 4
drops of phenolphthalein indicator was added to this solution and was titrated
afterwards. The concentration of the HCl solution was computed using the obtained
volumes from the titration.
Dried soda ash sample was weighed from 0.4000 to 0.6000 g in a small beaker
and was dissolved in 100 mL of distilled water with continuous stirring. The solution was
transferred in a 250 mL volumetric flask. The beaker was washed several times until the
diluted solution in the flask reached its 250 mL mark. Two 50 mL aliquots of this solution
were transferred into two clean and dry Erlenmeyer flasks. 3 to 5 drops of methyl
orange was added to each aliquot and was titrated with the standardized HCl. This was
performed twice and each initial and final volume was recorded. The obtained data was
calculated to get the weight of Na2CO3 in the sample and its alkalinity percentage.

Acid Buret
with HCL

Base Buret
with NaOH

Titrate (Na2CO3)
with methyl orange
Figure 1. Set-up of the titration

Data and Results

Table 1. Standardization of HCl
Trial 1
20 mL
0 mL
20 mL

Vfinal of NaOH
Vinitial of NaOH
V of NaOH used
M of NaOH
Vfinal of HCl
Vinitial of HCl
V of HCl used
M of HCl
Average M of HCl

Trial 2
40 mL
20 mL
20 mL
0.0989 M
43.3 mL
22.2 mL
21.1 mL
0.094 M
0.092 M

22.2 mL
0 mL
22.2 mL
0.089 M

Trial 3
44 mL
24 mL
20 mL
21.5 mL
0 mL
21.5 mL
0.092 M

Table 2. % Alkalinity of Soda Ash

Trial 1
Weight of sample
0.4236 g
Vfinal of HCl
13.6 mL 28. 1 mL
Vinitial of HCl
0 mL
13.6 mL
V of HCl used
13. 6 mL 15.5 mL
M of HCl
Weight of pure
0.35 g
Na2CO3
% Alkalinity
Average Alkalinity
True % Alkalinity
% error
Final volumes for trial 1:

Figure 2. Vf of 1st aliquot, 13.6 mL

42.5 mL 13. 1 mL
28.1 mL
0 mL
14.4 mL 13.1 mL
0.092 M

Trial 2
0.4027 g
26.3 mL
13.1 mL
13.2 mL

39.3 mL
26.3 mL
13.0 mL

0.32 g

82.63%

79.46%
81.045%
90%
9.95%

Figure 3. Vf of 2nd, 28.1 mL

Figure 4. Vf of 3rd aliquot, 42.5 mL

Final volumes for trial 2:

Figure 5. Vf of 1st aliquot, 13.1 mL

Figure 6. Vf of 2nd aliquot, 26.3 mL

Figure 7. Vf of 3rd aliquot, 39.3 mL

From the volumes showed on Table 1, the concentration of HCl was computed
using the formula:
M HCl =

For trial 1:

MHCl =

( 20 mL x 0.098 9 M )
22.2 mL

= 0.089 M

For trial 2:
MHCl =

(20 mL x 0.0989 M )
21.1 mL

= 0.094 M

For trial 3:
MHCl =

(20 mL x 0.0989 M )
21.5 mL

= 0.092 M

(V x M) NaOH
VHCl

Average M of HCl =

0.089+0.094+0.092
3

= 0.092 M

The volumes of the HCl used which was recorded in Table 2 and its
concentration computed from Table 1 were used to get the weight of pure Na 2CO3 was
computed by using the formula:
1 mole Na 2 CO3 106 g 250 mL
x
x
Weight of Na2CO3 = ( V x M )HCl x 2 moles HCl
mole
50 mL
For trial 1:

WeightTrial1 Na2CO3 =

( 0.0145 L x 0.092 M ) x

1 mole Na 2 CO3 106 g 250 mL

x
x
2 moles HCl
mole
50 mL

( 0.0131 L x 0.092 M ) x

1 mole Na 2 CO3 106 g 250 mL

x
x
2 moles HCl
mole
50 mL

0.35 g
For trial 2:

WeightTrial2 Na2CO3 =
0.32 g

For the % alkalinity, weights of the sample used and pure Na 2CO3 computed above
were used using the formula:

% Alkalinity =

weight of Na2 CO3

weight of sample

For trial 1:
0.35 g
x 100
% AlkalinityTrial1 = 0.4236 g

For trial 2:

= 82.63%

x 100

0.32 g
x 100
% AlkalinityTrial2 = 0.4027 g

= 79.46%

To compute the percent error, the true value was 90% and the percent alkalinity of trial
and trial 2 were averaged. The formula used for this was:

% error =

|true value-experimental value|

true value

Average Alkalinity (experimental value) =

% error =

|90.00 81.045|
90.00

82.63+79.46
2

x 100

= 81.045%

x 100 = 9:95%

Discussion of Results
The computed percent alkalinity on the first trial was 82.63%, which is larger and
closer to the true value of 90%, compared to that of the second trial, which was 79.46%.
The average of the two trials was 81.045%, which resulted to an error of 9.95%. This
error was obtained because of the wrong indication of the endpoint of the titration.
For trial 1:

Figure 8. The solution BEFORE titration

Figure 9. The solution AFTER titration

For trial 2:

Figure10. The solution BEFORE titration

Figure 11. The solution AFTER titration

The difference in the color of the solutions before and after titration can be seen from
the four figures above. For the first trial, the color difference was much more evident,
compared to than that of the second trial. The color after the titration has performed was
more orange than the second. This shows that the titration in the first trial was more
successful. This resulted to a larger computed percent alkalinity on the first trial than the
second one.
Answers to Questions
1. Why is the indicator used is methyl orange instead of phenolphthalein?
Methyl oranges pH range is from 3.1 to 4.4; meanwhile, phenolphthaleins is
from 8.3 to 10.0.

[4]

Since the complete neutralization of the carbonate ions is

usually performed at a medium of pH 4, the indicator which was more favorable to

use was methyl orange.
2. What is the effect of the presence of NaOH in the soda ash sample?
The presence of NaOH in the soda ash sample is reacting with carbon
dioxide and yields NaHCO3 and Na2CO3 which could cause wrong color in

indications of phenolphthalein or methyl orange. This will cause the concentration

and the production of carbonate ions to decrease.

[5]

Conclusion
Based on the results after the experiment and the computations were performed,
it could be inferred that the experiment is successful even though it lead to an error of
9.95%. The error obtained in doing this experiment was due to human error. The
endpoint of titration was misinterpreted. An initial change in color is not its indication.
The color of the solution after titrating must be orange. However, the objective is still
achieved and the concepts and logic behind the experiment were understood, therefore,
this was still considered a success.
References
[1]

Analysis

of

Soda

Ash,

Winona

State

University,

http://course1.winona.edu/mengen/
Chemistry%20213/213%20Laptop%20Labs/Analysis%20of%20Soda
%20Ash.pdf, visited: March 20, 2015
[2] Carbonate Equilibria in natural

waters,

Simon

Fraser

University,

http://www.chem1.com/acad/webtext/pdf/c3carb.pdf, visited: March 20, 2015.

[3] Skoog, Douglas A., West, Donald M., Holler, F. James and Crouch, Stanley R.
Fundamentals of Analytical Chemistry, 9th ed., (Brooks/Cole, 2014), p. 303.
[4] Acid-Base Indicators, Jim Clark, 2002, http://www.chemguide.co.uk/physical/
acidbaseeqia/indicators.html, visited: March 22, 2015
Analysis of Soda Ash by Double-Indicator

[5] Quantitative

Titration,

https://www.scribd.com/doc/92576976/Formal-Report-1-Expt-7-Chem-26-1,
visited: March 24, 2015