Table of Contents

1.1 Abstract...........................................................................................................................3

1.2 Introduction.....................................................................................................................4

1.3 Aims................................................................................................................................5

1.4 Theory.............................................................................................................................6

1.5 Apparatus........................................................................................................................7

1.6 Procedure.........................................................................................................................8

1.6.1 Standardization of Sodium Hydroxide Solution......................................................8

1.6.2 Molarity of acetic acid and percent of vinegar........................................................8

1.7 Results & Calculations..................................................................................................10

1.7.1 Standardization of Sodium Hydroxide Solution....................................................10

1.7.2 Standardization of Sodium Hydroxide Solution....................................................13

1.8 Discussion.....................................................................................................................16

1.9 Conclusion.....................................................................................................................17

2.0 Recommendation...........................................................................................................18

2.1 Reference.......................................................................................................................19

2.2 Appendix.......................................................................................................................20
1.1 Abstract

The main purpose of this experiment is to determine the percent acetic acid
contained in vinegar. As we know that acetic acid is a weak acid, we need to titrate it
with strong base. The base chosen was Sodium Hydroxide (NaOH). The experiment
was conducted by going through method of standardization of solution.

A sample of vinegar was analysed by using titration method with Sodium

Hydroxide (NaOH) and the graph pH versus Volume of Sodium Hydroxide titrated
(mL) was plotted to determine the equivalence point of the titration.

The mass percent of acetic acid obtained was 3.512%. Based on the theory, the
percentage should be approximately 5-20%. Thus, there must be factors that affected
the accuracy and precision of results. These error may be measurement error, eye of
observer not perpendicular to the reading scale, losing amount of the solution when
transferring to another container and others.
1.2 Introduction

Acetic acid is an organic compound which is carboxylic acid. It is also

CH 3 COOH
considered as ethanoic acid. The chemical formula for acetic acid is .

Vinegar is one of the product that contains approximately 5-20% of acetic acid.

There are ways to determine the amount of acetic acid in vinegar. In this
experiment, we focused on titration method to determine the molarity and percent by
mass of acetic acid in vinegar. Titration is the addition of a known concentration to an
unknown until the solution reach neutralization. The solution will be titrated with a
strong base which is Sodium Hydroxide (NaOH).

Equivalence point is reached when the moles of titrant is equal to analyte. It

can be obtained from the titration result. Ways to obtain the concentration of a
solution is to determine their molarity and percent by mass. The molarity can be
calculated by using equation below:

moles of solute
Molarity (M) = liter o f solution

Percent by mass is also called as mass fraction. It is one of the way to

represent the amount of concentration of an element in a mixture. It can be calculated
by referring to the equation below:

mass of so lute( grams)

Percent by mass (%) = mass of solvent ( grams) 100%
1.3 Aims
The objective of this experiment is to find out the molarity and percent by
mass of acetic acid in vinegar by titrating the solution with the standardized sodium
hydroxide solution.
1.4 Theory

A burette is used in titration process in order to determine molarity and percent

by mass of acetic acid in vinegar solution. The burette must has the calibration unit of
0.1 mL to ease the process of determining equivalence point from graph pH versus
volume of NaOH.

Equivalence point is determined when the moles of base added in the solution
is equal to moles of acid in the solution. Based on Equation (1.3-A) below, the
number of mole of Sodium Hydroxide (NaOH) need to be 1 mole so that it can be
neutralize with 1 mole of acetic acid.

NaOH (aq ) CH 3 CO 2 H (aq ) NaCH 3 CO 2 (aq ) H 2 O ( l)

+ +

(Equation 1.3-A)

When recording the pH value during titration process, there will be a sudden
change in pH value. This indicates that the equivalence point has reached. pH is the

+
measure of hydrogen ion concentration [ H 3 O . The equation of pH is as written in

Equation (1.3-B).

+

pH = - log [ H 3 O

(Equation 1.3-B)

The way to express the acidity or basicity of a solution is by determining the

pH value of the solution. If the pH is less than 7, it is acidic. pH equals 7, it I neutral
while more than 7 is basic. pH electrode is used to measure pH value of solution. The
equivalence point of this titration can be determined by plotting a graph pH versus
Volume of Sodium Hydroxide titrated to neutralize the acid.
1.5 Apparatus
The apparatus used during this experiment to determine the amount of
acetic acid in vinegar is:

Vinegar
0.6 M of Sodium Hydroxide (NaOH) solution
10-mL Pipette
250 mL Beaker
250 mL Volumetric flask
Burette stand
Burette
Funnel
pH meter
Stirrer
Distilled water
1.6 Procedure

1.6.1 Standardization of Sodium Hydroxide Solution

1. 150 mL of Sodium Hydroxide solution (NaOH) solution with concentration about

0.6 M is prepared from NaOH solid. Use the beaker to produce the solution and
record. Remember to recheck your calculation with the laboratory instruction.

2. Weigh approximately 1.500 grams of KHP and record the data. After that, add the
KHP into a clean 250 mL volumetric flask with distilled water until calibrated
mark and shake well. Transfer the solution into a 250 mL beaker.

3. Rinse burette with distilled water to make sure it is clean. Fill the burette with
NaOH. Titrate the KHP solution with NaOH. The pH will be recorded with 1 mL
addition of NaOH solution.

4. The NaOH solution is then standardized by repeating step1 to 3 for the second and
third titration.

5. The volume of NaOH needed to neutralized the KHP solution can be diagnose by
plotting a graph of pH vs volume of NaOH needed to neutralize the KHP solution
(mL).

6. The molarity of NaOH and average molarity of NaOH solution for titration 1 and
2 is the calculated because it is needed for the second part of experiment.

1.6.2 Molarity of acetic acid and percent of vinegar

1. Measure 10.00 mL of vinegar and add them into a 250 mL clean beaker and add
75-100 mL of distilled water. Stir the solution.

2. Add more NaOH solution into the burette used in the previous experiment to the
0.00 mL line. Titrate the solution with NaOH. 1ml of NaOH is added in the
solution. Record the pH of the solution, remember to rinse the electrode every
time the pH of the solution is measured.

3. Step 1 and 2 is repeated for titration result 1 and 2.

4. To determine the volume of NaOH needed to neutralized the vinegar solution,
graph pH versus volume of NaOH added is plotted.

5. The molarity of acetic acid, average molarity, percent by mass of acetic acid in
titration 1 and 2 is calculated. We also needed to calculate the percent by mass of
acetic acid in vinegar.
1.7 Results & Calculations

1.7.1 Standardization of Sodium Hydroxide Solution

A. Standardization of Sodium Hydroxide Solution

Titration 1 Titration 2 Titration 3

Mass of KHP (g) 1.507 1.506 1.501
Volume of NaOH to
neutralize the KHP 12.10 12.15 14.10
solution

B. Calculation of molarity of Sodium Hydroxide (NaOH) for each titration 1,

2,and 3.

a) Titration 1

Moles of KHP used in tritration 1.

1mol KHC 8 H 4 O4
KHC 8 H 4 O4
1.507 g 204.2 g KHC8 H 4 O4

KHC 8 H 4 O4
= 0.00738 mol

Moles of Sodium Hydroxide (NaOH) required neutralizing the moles of

KHP.

1 mol NaOH
0.00738 mol KHP 1 mol KHP

= 0.00738 mol NaOH

Molarity of Sodium Hydroxide (NaOH) solution.

1L
12.10 mL NaOH 1000 mL

= 0.0121 L NaOH

0.00736 mol NaOH

Molarity = 0.0121 L NaOH
 = 0.60826 M NaOH

b) Titration 2

Moles of KHP used in tritration 1.

1mol KHC 8 H 4 O4
KHC 8 H 4 O4
1.506 g 204.2 g KHC8 H 4 O4

KHC 8 H 4 O4
= 0.00738 mol

Moles of Sodium Hydroxide (NaOH) required neutralizing the moles of

KHP.

1 mol NaOH
0.00738 mol KHP 1 mol KHP

= 0.00738 mol NaOH

Molarity of Sodium Hydroxide (NaOH) solution.

1L
12.15 mL NaOH 1000 mL

= 0.01215 L NaOH

0.00738mol NaOH
Molarity = 0.01215 L NaOH

= 0.60741 M NaOH

c) Titration 3

Moles of KHP used in tritration 1.

1mol KHC 8 H 4 O4
KHC 8 H 4 O4
1.501 g 204.2 g KHC8 H 4 O4

KHC 8 H 4 O4
= 0.00735 mol

Moles of Sodium Hydroxide (NaOH) required neutralizing the moles of

KHP.

1 mol NaOH
0.00735 mol KHP 1 mol KHP

= 0.00735 mol NaOH

Molarity of Sodium Hydroxide (NaOH) solution.
 1L
14.10 mL NaOH 1000 mL

= 0.0141 L NaOH

0,00735mol NaOH
Molarity = 0.0141 L NaOH

= 0.52128 M NaOH

C. Calculation of the average molarity of Sodium Hydroxide (NaOH) for each

titration 1,2 and 3.

0.60826 M +0.60741 M + 0.52128

Molarity = 3

1.73695 M
= 3

= 0.57898 M NaOH
1.7.2 Standardization of Sodium Hydroxide Solution

A. Neutralization of Vinegar Solution

Titration 1 Titration 2
Volume of
NaOH required 10.00 10.20
to neutralize
Vinegar (mL)

B. The molarity of acetic acid in vinegar for titration 1 and

titration 2.

a) Titration 1

Moles of Sodium Hydroxide (NaOH) that reacted in titration 1.

1L
10.00 mL 1000 mL
= 0.01000 L NaOH

0.57898mol NaOH
0.01000 L NaOH 1 L NaOH solution

= 0.005789 mol NaOH

Moles of CH 3 COOH neutralized by the moles of NaOH.

1 mol CH 3 COOH
0.005789 mol NaOH 1 mol NaOH
CH 3 COOH
= 0.005789 mol

Molarity of CH 3 COOH ) solution.

1L
CH 3 COOH
10 mL 1000 mL
 CH 3 COOH
= 0.010 L

mol CH 3 COOH
Molarity = Lof solution

0.005789mol CH 3 COOH
= 0.01 L solution

CH 3 COOH
= 0.57898 M

b) Titration 2

Moles of Sodium Hydroxide (NaOH) that reacted in titration 2.

1L
10.20 mL 1000 mL
= 0.01020 L NaOH

0.57898mol NaOH
0.01020 L NaOH 1 L NaOH solution

= 0.00591 mol NaOH

Moles of CH 3 COOH neutralized by the moles of NaOH.

1 mol CH 3 COOH
0.00591 mol NaOH 1 mol NaOH
CH 3 COOH
= 0.00591 mol

Molarity of CH 3 COOH ) solution.

1L
CH 3 COOH
10 mL 1000 mL

CH 3 COOH
= 0.010 L

mol CH 3 COOH
Molarity = Lof solution
 0.00591mol CH 3 COOH
= 0.01 L solution

CH 3 COOH
= 0.59056 M

C. The average molarity of acetic acid for titration 1 and 2.

0.57898 M +0.59056 M
Molarity = 2

CH 3 COOH
= 0.58477 M

D. Percent by mass of acetic acid in vinegar for titration 1 and 2.

Mass of acetic acid in the solution.

1L
CH 3 COOH
10 mL 1000 mL

CH 3 COOH
= 0.010 L solution

0.58477 M CH 3 COOH
CH 3 COOH
0.010 L 1 L solution

60.06 g CH 3 COOH
1 mol CH 3 COOH

CH 3 COOH
= 0.35121 g

Mass of acetic acid solution.

1 g CH 3 COOH solution
CH 3 COOH
10 mL solution 1 mL CH 3 COOH solution

CH 3 COOH
= 10.00 g solution

Percent by mass of acetic acid in the solution.

 g CH 3 COOH
CH 3 COOH
Percent mass = g CH 3 COOH solution

0.35121 g CH 3 COOH
100
= 10.00 g CH 3 COOH

CH 3 COOH
= 3.512 %
1.8 Discussion

During the lab session in this experiment, the main purpose is to determine the
percent mass of acetic acid in vinegar. Therefore, one of the way to obtain this result
is by titrating the Sodium Hydroxide (NaOH) with acetic acid.

Potassium Hydrogen Phthalate (KHP) was titrated with 20.0 mL of Sodium

Hydroxide (NaOH) Solution. The titration process was repeated twice so that the
average molarity and reading of Sodium Hydroxide (NaOH) solution can be obtained.
The pH value versus Volume of NaOH to neutralize KHP solution table and graph is
then plotted to determine the equivalence point. Table and graphs of titration 1, 2 and
3 can be referred at Table 2.2A and Figure 2.2A, 2.2B, 2.2C in Appendix. The
equivalence point is then determined. Thus, the average molarity of NaOH after going
through standardization was 0.57898 M.

In part B of experiment, Vinegar then was titrated with Sodium Hydroxide

solution. There were two trials. The procedure is same as part A. Table and graphs of
titration 1 and 2 can be referred at Table 2.2B and Figure 2.2D, 2.2E in Appendix. In
trial 1, molarity of acetic acid was 0.57898 M. While in the second titration, the
molarity of acetic acid was 0.59056M. The average molarity of acetic acid was then
calculated which result to 0.58477 M of acetic acid. Lastly, the percent by mass if
acetic acid was 3.512 %.
1.9 Conclusion

Based on the experiment conducted, the vinegar and KHP was analysed by
titration method with 0.6 M of Sodium Hydroxide (NaOH) solution. Then, a graph of
pH versus Volume of Sodium Hydroxide (NaOH) titrated was plotted to get the
equivalence point for the calculations.

The mass percent of acetic acid in vinegar solution is 3.50 % which gives a
big difference compared to the sample calculation in lab manual which is 1.96%. We
can conclude that it has a huge difference due to some errors during the experiment.
For example, the observer may jotted down the wrong pH value due to the lack of
knowledge in using a pH meter, eyes not perpendicular to the scale of measuring tool
and others.
2.0 Recommendation

After the experiment was done, our lab group members have compared our
results with the other group. The results have a slight difference compared to the other
groups. This may be caused by errors during the experiment was done.

First and foremost, the error affecting the result of experiment might be
because of the misreading the volume. Observer can misread the volume during
titration by looking the scale from the wrong angle. The Sodium Hydroxide solution
will form a concave curve and observer should look at the bottom curve to measure
the volume. Therefore, observer should make sure eyes are perpendicular to the scale.

Then, another error that might affect the value is by using the equipment
incorrectly. Air bubbles in burette can affect the flow of titrant due to error when
filling the solution. Using the pH meter incorrectly and using electrode without
rinsing with distilled water can also affect the result of experiment.

End point error is also one of the reason affect the result of experiment.
During titration, there will be a point where the reaction between two solutions
stopped. Observer may look colour of indicator differently. Too much titrant is caused
by change of colour of indicator.
2.1 Reference

1. Writer, L. G. (n.d.). Errors in Titration Experiments. Retrieved March 31,

2017, from http://sciencing.com/errors-titration-experiments-8557973.html

2. Determination of Acetic Acid In Vinegar Lab Explained. (n.d.). Retrieved

March 31, 2017, from https://schoolworkhelper.net/determination-of-acetic-
acid-in-vinegar-lab-explained/

3. Lab Investigation 2 - How Much Acetic Acid is in Vinegar? (n.d.). Retrieved

March 31, 2017, from
http://www.webassign.net/question_assets/tccgenchem2l1/lab_2/manual.ht
ml

4. General Chemistry Labs. (n.d.). Retrieved March 31, 2017, from

http://www.odinity.com/acetic-acid-content-vinegar/

5. Measuring the Amount of Acetic Acid In Vinegar | Chemistry Science Fair

Project. (n.d.). Retrieved March 31, 2017, from
http://www.seminarsonly.com/Engineering-Projects/Chemistry/Measuring-
the-Amount-of-Acetic-Acid.php

6.
2.2 Appendix

pH of the solution
Volume of Sodium
Hydroxide to Titration Titration Titration
neutralize the 1 2 3
KHP solution
(mL)
0 4.16 4.41 4.37
2 4.55 4.68 4.56
4 4.90 4.97 4.87
6 5.38 5.39 5.18
8 5.50 5.51 5.47
10 5.85 5.88 5.82
12 5.92 5.90 6.73
14 11.33 11.31 11.28
16 11.74 11.62 11.57
18 11.81 11.73 11.73
20 11.99 11.84 11.88
Table 2.2A pH vs Volume of NaOH

KHP Titrated with NaOH

14
12
10
8
pH 6 Titration 1
4
2
0
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20

Volume of Sodium Hydrox ide NaOH (mL)

 Figure 2.2A graph pH vs Volume of Sodium Hydroxide in Titration 1

KHP Titrated with NaOH

14

12

10

8
pH Titration 2
6

0
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20

Volume of Sodium Hydroxide NaOH (mL)

Figure 2.2A graph pH vs Volume of Sodium Hydroxide in Titration 2

KHP Titrated with NaOH

14

12

10

8
pH Titration 3
6

0
2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20

Volume of Sodium Hydrox ide NaOH (mL)

Figure 2.2A graph pH vs Volume of Sodium Hydroxide in Titration 3

 pH of solution

Volume of
NaOH required Titration 1 Titration 2
to neutralize
vinegar
0 2.85 3.03
1 3.55 3.68
2 3.89 4.04
3 4.15 4.20
4 4.36 4.44
5 4.55 4.59
6 4.73 4.77
7 4.93 4.93
8 5.09 5.18
9 5.34 5.47
10 5.81 6.24
11 10.89 11.01
12 11.48 11.42
13 11.62 11.60
14 11.76 11.76
15 11.78 11.80
16 11.86 11.93
17 11.94 11.97
18 12.01 12.09
Table 2.2A pH vs Volume of NaOH
Vinegar Titrated with Sodium Hydroxide
14

12

10

8
Titration 1
pH 6

0
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18

Volume of Sodium Hydroxide NaOH (mL)

Figure 2.2D graph pH vs Volume of Sodium Hydroxide in Titration 1

Vinegar Titrated with Sodium Hydroxide

14

12

10

8
pH Titration 2
6

0
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18

Volume of Sodium Hydrox ide NaOH (mL)

Figure 2.2E graph pH vs Volume of Sodium Hydroxide in Titration 2