Anachem Research

EXPERIMENT NO M5
DETERMINATION OF TOTAL ACIDITY OF AN ORGANIC ACID

I. Report Format and Neatness
II. Objectives
The objective of this experiment is to study the titration of an organic acid wherein its total
acidity will be determined.
III. Theoretical Background

Oxalic Acid (𝐶2 𝑂4 𝐻2 ), that was used in this experiment, is a toxic organic acid, which is
also called Ethanedioic acid is a strong dicarboxylic acid. Anhydrous oxalic acid is very
hydrophilic and readily absorbs water. It is the simplest dicarboxylic acid, and reacts as a
typical carboxylic acid, forming the acid chloride and ester derivatives. It is a good reducing
agent and acts as a good chelating ligand for various metal cations.
The strength of an acid in an organic compound is directly proportional to the stability of

the acid’s conjugate base. In other words, an acid that has a more stable conjugate base will be
more acidic than an acid that has a less stable conjugate base.
Acidic molecules generally have structural features that allow the anion in the conjugate
base to delocalize the charge over a larger space. Delocalization of the negative charge (such
that one atom doesn’t have to bear the full negative charge) makes the molecule more stable.
The most important features that stabilize negative charges include the electronegativity,
hybridization, and size of the atom upon which the negative charge is located, the electron-
withdrawing effects of neighboring electronegative atoms, and resonance effects.
The end-point of an acid-base titration is the point at which the acid and base are
stoichiometrically equivalent. This point may be found by adding an indicator which changes
color at the approximate pH of the equivalence point. Organic acids are organic compounds that
possess acidic properties. The chemical reaction of this particular experiment is:
𝐶2 𝑂4 𝐻2 + 2𝑁𝑎𝑂𝐻 → 𝐶2 𝑂4 ∙ 2𝑁𝑎 + 𝐻2 𝑂
IV. Equipment Apparatus
A. List of Equipment and Apparatus and its uses
Equipment or Apparatus Use

Erlenmeyer Flask(s) Erlenmeyer flasks are similar in function to beakers, but
they are conical in shape, with a cylindrical neck and a
wide, flat base that is ideal for heating and analyzing
solutions.
Stirring Rod Used in all chemistry courses. Used to stir solutions,
sometimes to scrape things off walls of flasks,
10mL Pipettes Also called pipets or chemical droppers, are small tubes
of glass or plastic used to transfer a measurable amount
of liquid from one container to another.
Weighing Bottle(s) Are glass laboratory equipment used for
precise weighing of solids.
Acid/Base Burets laboratory apparatus used in quantitative chemical
analysis to measure the volume of a liquid or a gas. It
consists of a graduated glass tube with a stopcock
(turning plug, or spigot) at one end.
Pipetol or Rubber Bulb used in chemistry laboratories, by placing them on top
of a glass or plastic tube. It serves as a vacuum source
for filling reagents through a pipette or pasteur
pipette and also help control the flow of liquid from the
dropping bottle.
Iron Stand Also called as a ring stand. A ring stand is used
to provide support for other equipment and a means of
raising equipment above the work surface. Often times
an iron bar screwed into an iron base makes up a ring
stand; however, the holes you see in the lab desk
surface are receptacles for aluminum rods that can be
used in much the same manner as a ring stand.
Buret Clamp A buret clamp is chemical or biological laboratory
equipment. It is used for firmly holding test-tubes,
burettes and other glassware in place when performing
experiments such as titration.
Wire Gauze placed between glassware and a heat source, diffuses the
heat somewhat and is therefore safer than a direct flame.
B. Experimental Set-up
V. Procedure
Weigh in a weighing bottle duplicate sample of about 0.3g of each the organic acid.
Dissolve the sample in 25 mL of CO2-free distilled water. Add 2-3 drops of phenolphthalein
Fill the burets with the prepared NaOH and HCl solution using the customary precautions.
Take and record initial readings. Titrate the organic acid with standard NaOH to the faintest
pink coloration that remains for 15 seconds. If the endpoint is overrun, titrate back with the
HCl and complete the titration with the NaOH. Calculate the acid strength in terms of
%H2C2O4. Repeat the titration with the second sample.
VI. Data and Results
I II
Weight of organic acid 0.3 g 0.3 g
Vfinal NaOH 4.1 ml 8.4 ml

Vinitial NaOH 0 ml 4.1 ml
4.1 ml 4.3 ml
Vfinal HCl 0.3 ml 0.9 ml
Vinitial HCl 0 ml .3 ml
.3 ml .6 ml
% H2C2O4.2H2O 87.6227 % 83.3454 %
VII. Interpretation of Results
In this experiment, the researchers weighed 0.3 g of the organic acid and used it to
determine the amount of 𝐻2 𝐶2 𝑂4 ∙ 𝐻2 𝑂 in the solution. The results gathered to reach the
endpoint of the titration in the first trial is 4.1 ml of NaOH and a total volume of 0.3 ml of
HCL was used for back titration. For the second trial, an amount of 4.3 ml of NaOH was
used and an addition of 0.6 ml of HCl for the back titration. After computing the weight of
the organic acid, the researchers then computed for the acid strength in terms of the
%𝐻2 𝐶2 𝑂4 ∙ 𝐻2 𝑂, results for the first and second trial are: 87.6227 % and 83.3454 %
VIII. Recommendation and Conclusion
In determining the acid strength of the organic acid, the researchers determined the amount
of 𝐻2 𝐶2 𝑂4 ∙ 𝐻2 𝑂 in the organic acid. The amount of oxalic acid in the sample will determine
its acidity. Through the neutralization of a known concentration of a base (NaOH), the
researchers were able to get the amount of oxalic acid through titration. Wherein, in
neutralization, the milliequivalence of the acid is equal to the milliequivalence of the base.
By using this, the reseachers were able to get the total amount of acid present in the sample.
IX. Sample Computations
Trial I:
𝑚𝑒 𝐻2 𝐶2 𝑂4 ∙ 𝐻2 𝑂 = 𝑚𝑒 𝑁𝑎𝑂𝐻
𝑊
𝑀𝑒 = 𝑁𝑥𝑉
𝑓𝑥1000
𝑊
𝑔
126
𝑚𝑜𝑙
𝑒𝑞 𝑚𝑒 = (1.1221 𝑁 𝑥 4.1 𝑚𝑙) − (1.427 𝑁 𝑥 .3 𝑚𝑙)
2 𝑥1000 𝑒𝑞
𝑚𝑜𝑙
𝑊 = 0.2629 𝑔
0.2629 𝑔
% 𝑤𝑡 = = 87.6227 %
0.3 𝑔
Trial II:
𝑚𝑒 𝐻2 𝐶2 𝑂4 ∙ 𝐻2 𝑂 = 𝑚𝑒 𝑁𝑎𝑂𝐻
𝑊
𝑀𝑒 = 𝑁𝑥𝑉
𝑓𝑥1000
𝑊
𝑔
126
𝑚𝑜𝑙
𝑒𝑞 𝑚𝑒 = (1.1221 𝑁 𝑥 4.3𝑚𝑙) − (1.427 𝑁 𝑥 .6 𝑚𝑙)
2 𝑥1000 𝑒𝑞
𝑚𝑜𝑙
𝑊 = 0.2500 𝑔
0.2500 𝑔
% 𝑤𝑡 = = 83.3454 %
0.3 𝑔
X. Appendices
A. References
Bluffton College. (n.d). Stirring Rods. Retrieved from

http://www.bluffton.edu/HomePages/FacStaff/bergerd/classes/LabEquip/StirringRods.html
Burdick, R. (2018, October 12). The Names of Chemistry Flask. Retrieved from
https://sciencing.com/names-chemistry-flasks-5914299.html
Crack Set.net. (n.d). SAT Subject Chemistry Practice Question 534: Answer and Explanation.
Retrieved from http://www.cracksat.net/sat2/chemistry/question-534-answer-and-
explanation.html
Cr Scientific LLC. (n.d). Wire Gauze for Ring Stand. Retrieved from
http://www.crscientific.com/wiregauze.html
Encyclopedia Britannica. (2019). Burette. Retrieved from
https://www.britannica.com/science/burette
Flournoy, B. (2018, May 15). What is the purpose of a pipette?. Retrieved from
https://sciencing.com/purpose-pipette-8743073.html
Laboratory Equipment. (n.d). Common Used Laboratory Equipment. Retrieved from
https://laboratoryapparatus.weebly.com/commonly-used-lab-equipment.html
Zinni,Yasmin. (2017, April 25). Laboratory Glassware and Functions. Retrieved from
https://sciencing.com/laboratory-glassware-functions-7160102.html

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EXPERIMENT NO M5

DETERMINATION OF TOTAL ACIDITY OF AN ORGANIC ACID

III. Theoretical Background

The strength of an acid in an organic compound is directly proportional to the stability of

Equipment or Apparatus Use

Weight of organic acid 0.3 g 0.3 g

Vfinal NaOH 4.1 ml 8.4 ml

VII. Interpretation of Results

VIII. Recommendation and Conclusion

IX. Sample Computations

Bluffton College. (n.d). Stirring Rods. Retrieved from

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