CHEMISTRY LABORATORY

REPORT
Experiment 2: pH AND
BUFFERS

To: Instructor: PhD Hoang Le Son

From: Do Truong Anh Thu - Student ID: BTBCIU14046

Subject: General Chemistry Laboratory

Date: October 12th, 2015

I. INTRODUCTION

This experiment provides us the method to control or equilibrium the system by the pH
value. It is very important for organisms to maintain a stable pH. Biological molecules
such as proteins function only at a certain pH level and any changes in pH can result in
them not functioning properly. The concentration of H+ in the solution tells how acidic or
alkaline a substance is and it is interpreted by the pH, and buffers are the solution to
maintain this value. The strong or weak base/acid and the neutral solution have different
pH value and we can know more about this as well as calculations related to pH value, or
how buffers control the pH through this experiment.

II. PROCEDURE

A. Instruments:

Three 150 mL beakers pH meter

Three 250 mL breakers Water bath

One 10 mL volumetric pipet One stirring rod

One 10 mL gratuated pipet One medicine dropper

Magnetic stirrer and stir bar

B. Procedure:

System #1: Deionized water

We have about 150 mL of deionized boiled for 10 minutes in a 250 mL beaker and then
cooled to room temperature.

The next step is to pour about 75 mL of the room temperature water into a 150 mL
beaker. Then we add a stir bar to the beaker and place the beaker on a magnetic bar
stirrer. Assemble pH meter.

We record the pH value and then swirl the water with the magnetic stirrer for about 20
seconds. Record the pH again and repeat the stirring and measurement process at 20
second intervals, recording each time and pH value, until there is no appreciable change
in the pH.

System #2: Strong acid

Measure the pH by using pipet to take 10 mL of 0.1 M HCl into a 250 mL beaker.

Measure the pH after add 90 mL of distilled water into the beaker. Measure the pH.

10 mL of 0.10 M NaOH was added into the beaker. Record the pH.

90 mL of 0.01 M NaOH was added into the beaker. Record the pH.

System #3: Weak acid

20 mL of 0.1 M acetic acid was placed into 150 mL beaker.

Using 0.1 M acetic acid as a starting point, make three dilutions resulting in two different
concentrations, i.ie 0.01 and 0.001 M.

Measure the pH of each these solution and calculate the Ka for each of the solutions.

System #4: Salts

50 mL of 0.1 M NaCl was placed into a 150 mL beaker. Measure the pH.

Place 50 mL of 0.01 M CH3COOH into a 150 mL beaker. Measure the pH.

Place 50 mL of 0.1 M NH4Cl into a 150 mL beaker. Measure the pH.

 System #5: Buffers

100 mL each of 0.1 M CH3COOH and 0.1 M CH3COONa were placed into seperate
150mL beaker.

Prepare buffer A, B, C by mixing these two solutions as shown in the table below.
Measure the pH of the buffer solution.

Divide each of the 3 buffers into equal parts (25.0 mL each)

Part 1: For one sample of each buffer:

- Add 10 drops of 0.1 M HCl. Measure the pH.

- Add enough to change the pH by one unit from the start. Record the volume.

Part 2: For one sample of each buffer:

- Add 10 drops of 0.1 M NaOH. Measure the pH.

- Add enough to change the pH by one unit from te start. Record the volume.

III. DATA AND DISCUSSION

1. pH OF DEIONIZED WATER

Time (s) Observed pH Explanation

0 7.38 The deionized water in the laboratory room has a pH value

approximately 7.0. The process of distillation leads water
20 7.25 molecules to access the air contained CO2 gas and stirring
40 7.17 encourage more and more CO2 dissolved, so the
concentration of acid in distilled water at that time
60 7.13 increases and the pH value decreases as a result. After a
short period of time, due to the water does not absorb all of
80 7.10
CO2 from the air, the balance stage happens and the pH
100 7.04 value is stable
Comment: The pH of deionized water tends to be lower than normal water because the
dissolved salts (ions) in the normal water can neutralize that is also dissolved in the water.

2. pH OF STRONG ACID

Solution Theoretical Measured Explaination

pH pH

_10 mL of 0.1M 1 -3.18 HCl is strong acid so its pH value is small

HCl as the [H+] = 0.1 involved in. When
adding the distilled water into HCl, the
_ Add 90 mL of solution becomes diluted and the
distilled water 2 0.72
concentration of H+ decreases. The system
_ Add 10 mL of has the current [H+] = 0.01, thus the pH
0.1M NaOH value calculated equal to 2
7 0.94
_ Add 90 mL of The pH value keeps increasing due to the
11.7 1.54
0.01M NaOH addition of NaOH, OH- dissolves and joins
with H+ in the mixture to make H2O. Thus
the system is neutral and the pH raise into
7.

When we continue to add 90mL of 0.01

NaOH to the mixture, the [OH-] increase
and equal to 2.3 so the pH value raise
theoretically to 11.7.

Data Calculation:

The mole of 10mL of 0,1 M HCL: n = CM x V = 0,1x 0.01= 10-3 (mol)

The theoritical pH of 10 mL of 0,1 M HCl: pH = -log[0.1] = 1

After adding 90 mL of distilled water , the V of solution increases to 100mL= 0.1 L

Thus [H+] = n/V= 10-3/ 0.1= 0.01 M

The theoritical pH of 0,01M HCl: pH= -log[0,01] = 2

After adding 90 mL of 0.1M NaOH, the V of solution increases to 190mL= 0,19 L

The mole of the adding OH- = CM x V = 0.01 x 0.09 = 9x10-4 (mole)

The current [OH-] = n/V = 9x10-4/0.19. Thus the final pH = 14 - (-log [9x10-4/0.19]) = 11.7

Comment: The pH value depends on concentration of H+ .Strong acid often have a small pH
value because the it dissolves completely in water to produce the large amount of H+ . The pH of
strong acid will be increase when [OH-] is increased. The reality value of pH in the experiment is
different comparing with the theoretical one due to the laboratory conditions and the mistake
during experimental procedure.

Note: The results in this experiment are wrong because the pH meter is wrong, my group tried to
measure pH of NaOH and HCl many times but it is not right.

3. pH OF WEAK ACID

Solution Measured Ka Explaination

pH

0.1M acetic 2.44 1.36x10-4 CH3COOH plays role as the very weak acid,
acid results in dissolving partially and forming little
H+, which leads to the pH value is higher than
0.01M acetic 3.04 9.15x10-5 the strong acid. The less concentration of H+ in
acid the acetic acid solution, the more increasing in
the pH value.
0.001M 3.66 6.12x10-5
acetic acid

Data Calculation:

Determining the Ka base on the measured pH of:

First, 0.1 M acid acetic

CH3COOH H+ + CH3COO-

Initial 0.1 0 0
(CM)

Change x x x

Equilibrium 0.1-x x x

[H ][CH3COO ] x2
[CH3COOH] 0 .1 x
Thus the Ka = = = (10-2.44)2/ (0.1 - 10-2.44) = 1.36x10-4
 Second, 0.01 M acid acetic and applying the same equation above

[H ][CH3COO ]
[CH3COOH]
Thus the Ka= = (10-3.04)2 / (0.01- 10-3.04) = 9.15x10-5

Third, 0.001 M acid acetic and applying the same equation above

[H ][CH3COO ]
[CH3COOH]
Thus the Ka = = (10-3.66)2/ (0.001- 10-3.66) = 6.12x10-5

4. pH of SALTS:

Solution Predicted Measured Explaination

pH pH

0.1M NaCl 7 6.4 NaCl is a salt of strong acid (HCl) and a strong
base (NaOH), which makes NaCl have the
0.1M >7 7.93
neutral property and the pH value reach to 7
CH3COONa
CH3COONa is the salt of a weak acid
0.1M NH4Cl <7 5.78
(CH3COOH) and the strong base (NaOH),
which makes this substance have the base
property and the pH value is larger than 7.

NH4Cl is the salt of a strong acid (HCl) and

the weak base (NH4OH), which makes this
substance have the acid property and the pH
value is less than 7.

Comment:

The pH of the salts depend on the compound of that substance, if the compound is the strong
non-metal such as Na and the weak acid component such as CH3COO-, the pH is over 7, on the
contrary, the pH is less than 7, and if 2 components are strong acid/base, the solution becomes
neutral.

5. pH of BUFFERS:
Buffer Volume (mL) Volume (mL) Acid Base Calculated Measured
0.1M 0.1M pH pH
CH3COOH CH3COONa

A 10.0 40.0 0.02 0.08 5.34 5.29

B 40.0 10.0 0.08 0.02 4.14 3.88

C 25.0 25.0 0.05 0.05 4.47 4.32

Data Calculation:

Determining the [Acid], [Base] and the pH value:

For the mixture A:

CH3COOH CH3COO- + H+

0.001 x x (mol)

CH3COONa CH3COO- + Na+

0.004 0.004 0.004 (mol)

n 0.001

V 0.01 0.04
[Acid] = [CH3COOH] = 0.02 M

n 0.004

V 0.01 0.04
[Base] = [CH3COONa] = 0.08 M

nCH3COO- = 0.004 + x 0.004 (mol)

The equilibrium constant of CH3COOH is 1.8 x 10-5

[H][CH3COO ] 0.08 x
[CH3COOH] 0.02
Ka= = = 1.8 x 10-5

=> x= 4.5x10-6 (M)

Thus the pH is pH = -log[x] = 5.34

Applying the same concept for mixture B and C

 Part I: Addition of 10 drops 0.1 M HCl

Buffer pH from pH after Total volume HCl to Explanation

the start adding HCl change pH by one unit

A 5.29 5.07 3.9 mL Each buffer has the weak

base CH3COO-, it reacts
B 3.88 3.93 1.3 mL
with the added H+ of HCl so
C 4.32 4.10 1.9 mL the pH of the solution is not
decrease too much when
adding 10 drops HCl

Part II: Addition of 10 drops 0.1 M NaOH

Buffer pH from pH after Total volume NaOH to Explanation

the start adding change pH by one unit
NaOH

A 5.29 5.35 10 mL Each buffer has the weak

acid CH3COOH, it reacts
B 3.88 3.93 20 mL with the added OH- of
NaOH so the pH of the
solution is not increase too
C 4.32 4.38 19.8 mL
much when adding 10
drops NaOH

Comment

Buffer A have the highest pH value because it contain more CH3COONa ( basic salt)

Buffer B have the smallest one, because it contain more CH3COOH ( acid)

pH value of buffer C is at the middle because of the same amount of CH3COONa and CH3COOH
in this solution

When we add acid HCl into the buffer, the pH value decrease because concentration of H+
increases

On the other hand, we add base NaOH, pH increases because concentration of H+ decreases.
IV. CONCLUSION

As we known the pH of a solution is the measure of the concentration of charged Hydrogen ions
in that given solution. A solution with a pH lower than seven is considered to be acidic. A
solution with a higher pH is a base. Buffers have the property to maintain the pH value by
resisting the large change on pH when adding H+ or OH-. With 5 sub-experiment above we can
know the method to measured the pH, predict the pH of the solution and also the way to control
this value for equilibrium the system.