Attached.

Running head: TITRATION OF THE ACID CONTENT IN VINEGAR

Titration of the Acid Content in Vinegar
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TITRATION OF THE ACID CONTENT IN VINEGAR
Pre-Lab Questions
Abstract
The experiment mainly aimed to determine the molarity and percentage, by mass, of the acid in
vinegar solution. In achieving the main aim, the experiment also involved setting up of a buret
and understanding the proper techniques of titration to strike an appropriate endpoint.
Demonstration of an appropriate technique of buret and pipette and was one of the goals the
experiment tried to achieve. The experiment also involved calculation percentage in error that
occurred in the experiment.
Introduction
Volumetric titration is a scientific process of adding a standardized solution of defined
volume to the volume of a solution whose concentration is not known until a complete chemical
reaction occurs between these solutions (Timberlake, 2013). A titration reaction that occurs
between an acid and a base is called neutralization. For an acid-base titration, base solution
becomes the standard solution, whereas the acid solution becomes “unknown” solution. A
standard solution has its concentration determined before reacting with the “unknown” whose
concentration is not known. A standard solution is measure with and poured in a flask, while the
unknown solution is poured in a buret and added to the standard solution. The volume of
unknown solution used in the experiment is determined by buret readings as shown in equation 1
below;
Vused =V final-Vinitial …………………………………Equation 1
In this experiment, vinegar is an acid and contains significant volume of acetic acid,
CH3 COOH in water. Acetic content can be determined by carrying out a neutralization titration
with a particular base solution according to the balanced chemical equation below;
HC2 H3 O 2(aq) + NaOH(aq) → NaC2 H3 O2(aq) + H 2 O(l)………………….Equation 2
The determining factor for the end of this reaction is the equivalent point (where acid moles
equals base moles) and can be physically indicated by the color change in the base solution
containing few drops of a suitable indicator. Addition of acid reduces base solution’s pH to 7

2

TITRATION OF THE ACID CONTENT IN VINEGAR

3

(neutral) hence change in color of the base solution. Molarity of the solute is determined by the
equation below;
moles of solute

Molarity, M =

litrs of solution

=

mol
L

……………………………….Equation 3

Moles of the unknown solution are determined using mole ration the balances chemical equation
2 above. Molarity of the solution is determined by the formula below;
𝑀𝑏 𝑥𝐿𝑏

Ma=

𝐿𝑎

………………………………………………………..Equation 4

where Ma and Mb represent molarity of acid and base respectively.
The parentage content of acid in vinegar is calculated as using the formula below;
%(w/v)=

𝑚𝑎𝑠𝑠 𝑜𝑓 𝑠𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑡𝑒 (𝑔)
𝑣𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑚𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑠𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 (𝑚𝐿)

…………………………………..Equation 5

Or
𝑚𝑎𝑠𝑠 𝑜𝑓 𝑠𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑡𝑒 (𝑔)

%(w/w)=𝑚𝑎𝑠𝑠 𝑜𝑓 𝑠𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 (𝑔)…………………………………….Equation 6
The significance of this lab lies in the wide applications of titration in various industries. For
example, it can be used in healthcare in determining chemical concentration that is used in blood
and urine. It can be used to determine concentration of the content of fatty acids, and vitamin...