Chemistry 18.

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Experiment 5: Common Ion Effect
Group 5 (TF)
Sheryl Salazar and Carla Guico

Submitted to: Prof. Julius Nunez

Abstract
In this experiment, different situations are observed to support a special case of Le Chatelier’s
principle in equilibrium systems. The “Common ion effect” is tested through changes in ionization, buffering
effect in solutions, and variability of the solubility constant. In the first part of the experiment, different
solutions of strong and weak acids and bases are compared to similar solutions with an added common ion
by measuring their pH values. In the second part, different mixtures of acids and bases were tested for the
presence of buffering effect that are depicted in the amount of change in the pH value when added an acidic
or basic solution. On the last activity, the solubility of benzoic acid crystals in a solution with sodium
benzoate is compared to its experimental value from the past experiment.

Key concepts: Common Ion Effect, Buffer Solutions, Solubility, Precipitation, Weak electrolyte (acid/base),
pH value

opens the system to freely exchange protons

Introduction
Common ion effect is a special event of
Le Chateliers principle depicted in equilibrium
solutions. A “common ion” is portrayed as a
similar ionized element of a compound present in
two different solutions mixed together. Usually a
solution containing a “common ion” relatively is
added to a system in equilibria. In such event, the
original system shifts or adjusts the reaction
present to consume the added ion. Usually in
weak acid or bases, the ionization in the solution
is suppressed by the presence of the added
common ion since the system strives to retain is
equilibrium by shifting back and forming the acid
or basic compound again. This results to the
change in pH value of the solution because of the
lessened value of hydrogen or hydroxide ions. In
relation to strong acidic and basic solutions, this
effect is not highly observed since it is difficult for
an almost completely ionized system to divert
back to the formation of its reactants.
This is the principle behind buffer
solutions. In definition, buffer solutions are
solutions made up of a weak acid or base and its
conjugate base or acid respectively. Each must
contain the same volume and molarity to form a
buffer solution. Given this, buffer solutions are
expected to be in a state of equilibrium in which it
will resist any changes in its pH value. There are
two types of buffer solutions; acidic, made up of a
weak acid and conjugate base (pH less than 7,)
and alkaline, made up of a weak base and
conjugate acid (pH greater than 7,) buffer
solutions. Buffer solutions act upon an added
base or acid solution to its system by removing
any new formed hydrogen ions or hydroxide ions
thus neutralizing the added solution.
In a buffer system, there are three types
of chemical reaction present: Auto ionization of
water, Acid dissociation, and Hydrolysis. This
among the acid/base, conjugate base/acid,
hydrogen and hydroxide ions, and water. Once a
small amount of acid is added, it initially ionizes to
hydrogen ions which are consumed by the
present conjugate base in the system. While and
added base ionizes to hydroxide ions and
consumed by the present acid in the solution. By
suppressing the formation and addition of
hydrogen and hydroxide ions, the pH value of the
system is retained.
Experimental
On the first part of the experiment, the following
solutions were prepared and the pH level of each
solution was determined by the use of a pH
meter.
REAGENTS
10 mL 0.1 M HCl + 2 mL H2O
10 mL 0.1 M HCl + 2 mL 0.1 M NaCl
10 mL 0.1 M HAc + 2 mL H2O
10 mL 0.1 M HOAc + 2 mL 0.1 M NaOAc
10 mL 0.1 M NaOH + 2 mL H2O
10 mL 0.1 M NaOH + 2 mL 0.1 M NaCl
Table 1-Part A. Effect on the Ionization of
Acids/ Bases
For the next part of the experiment, the pH of
distilled H2O was determined and 10 mL of the
liquid was placed in a test tube. 6 M of HCl was
added and the pH of the mixture was determined.
Then, a drop of 6 M of NaOH and 10 mL of H2O
was mixed in a test tube and the pH of the
solution was measured. The following solutions
were prepared:

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Chem 18.1 Experiment 5: Common ion Effect
 SOLUTION pH obtained after the addition of a drop of 6 M
HCl was 2.96. On the other hand, the measured
A. 10 mL 0.5 M HOAc + 10 mL 0.5 M NaOAc pH for the solution of a drop of 6 M NaOH and 10
B. 10 mL 0.5 M HCl + 10 mL 0.5 M NaCl mL H2O was 11.57. The results of the pH values
obtained for different solutions and those which
C. 10 mL 0.5 M HNO3 + 10 mL 0.5 M NaNO3 exhibited buffering action are shown below.
D. 10 mL 0.5 M NaH2PO4 + 10 mL 0.5 M
NaH2PO4 pH after
pH of pH after
addition
E. 10 mL 0.5 M NH4OH + 10 mL 0.5 M NH4Cl Solution original addition Conclusion
of
Table 2-Part B. Buffering Effect solution of HCl
NaOH
A 5.00 4.72 5.11 B B
The pH levels of these solutions were determined B 2.03 1.64 2.13 NB NB
and each solution was divided into two equal C 1.47 1.92 2.02 NB NB
parts. One part of each solution was added with a D 7.41 7.14 7.52 B B
drop of 6 M HCl then the pH of each solution was E 9.12 8.96 9.12 B B
measured. The other part was added with a drop Black= experimental
of 6 M NaOH and likewise, the pH of each Red= theoretical
solution was also measured. Solutions which
exhibited buffering action were identified. Table 4-Experimental pH variations on
buffering effect
The last part of the experiment is the effect of
common ion on the solubility of slightly soluble For the last part of the experiment, the following
salts wherein 50 mL of distilled water was placed results were calculated.
in a 100-mL beaker then, 0.5 g of sodium
benzoate was added and heated to about 40˚C.
After that, benzoic acid crystals were added using Volume of 0.01 M NaOH 37mL
a small amount at a time, stirred after each Solubility of benzoic acid
addition until the crystals no longer dissolve. The in water (from the 0.0051 M
mixture was cooled with stirring to room previous experiment)
temperature and then filtered with the filtrate Solubility of benzoic acid
collected in a clean beaker. 10 mL of the filtrate in sodium benzoate 1.478 x 10-3 M
was collected with the use of a pipet into a 50 mL solution
Erlenmeyer flask added with 2 drops of
phenolphthalein. The solution was then titrated Discussions
with 0.01 M NaOH to a light pink end-point.
In the first part of the experiment, effect on the
Results ionization of acids/bases, it can be seen that the
first solution has a low pH value which is
For the first part of the experiment which is the expected since HCl, a strong acid, is present. Its
effect on the ionization of acids/bases, the mixture with water did not affect the pH of the
following results were obtained for the pH of each solution since it is neutral, having a pH of 7.00.
solution. Similarly, the second solution got a low pH value
which is also due to the presence of HCl and
REAGENTS pH because the addition of extra Cl- ions does not
10 mL 0.1 M HCl + 2 mL 1.73 affect the concentration of H+. The pH of the
H2O fourth solution is expected to be higher than the
10 mL 0.1 M HCl + 2 mL 2.45 pH of the third one since acetic acid is present, a
0.1 M NaCl weak acid and dissociates to a lesser extent. The
10 mL 0.1 M HAc + 2 mL 3.45 addition of acetate ions from NaOAc which is a
H2O strong electrolyte will cause the reaction to shift
10 mL 0.1 M HOAc + 2 mL 3.49 towards the opposite of dissociation, therefore
0.1 M NaOAc causing the pH to increase. The pH values of the
10 mL 0.1 M NaOH + 2 mL 11.47 fifth and sixth solutions are expected to be high
H2O due to the presence of the strong base, NaOH. It
can be observed that both pH values are close to
10 mL 0.1 M NaOH + 2 mL 11.41
each other since NaOH dissociates completely
0.1 M NaCl
and is not affected by the presence of any other
ion.
Table 3-Experimental pH of the effect on the
ionization of acids/bases
In the next part of the experiment which is the
buffering effect, some of the experimental results
On the second part of the experiment, the
we got do not agree with the theoretical results
obtained pH of distilled water was 7.00 and the
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Chem 18.1 Experiment 5: Common ion Effect
which actually tell which of the solutions exhibit
buffering action. Some solutions were determined
to be buffers because based on its definition,
buffers are solutions which resist a change in pH
when small amounts of acid or base are added.
Buffers contain an acidic species to neutralize
OH- ions and a basic species to neutralize H+
ions. However, these two species must be able
to coexist in a solution without completely
neutralizing each other. Their behavior is based
on establishing excesses of both the original acid
or base, and the conjugate (generally obtained by
adding a salt). For the hypothetical pair HA (a
weak acid) and NaA (a salt containing the ion A-,
the conjugate base of HA) this system of
reactions is relevant in aqueous solution:
HA(aq) + H2O(ℓ) ⇔H3O+(aq) + A-(aq)
NaA(s) → Na+(aq) + A-(aq)
The presence of excess A- (the "common ion")
causes a shift in the equilibrium of the first
reaction and sets up the required condition for
buffering behavior.
 Given the following reaction:
HX⇔H+ + X-
where Ka = [H+][X-]
[HX]
For this reaction, the pH depends on the acid
dissociation constant and the ratio of the
concentrations of the conjugate acid-base pair.
Consequently, it can be observed that when the
concentration of HX and X- ions are equal, the pH
becomes equal to the pKa of the solution. Thus
buffers whose acid form has a pKa that is close to
the desired pH is often used. When strong acids
are added to the buffer solution, the strong acid
will react and be neutralized by the base present
in the buffer. When strong bases are added to the
buffered solution, the strong base will react and
be neutralized with the weak acid present in the
buffer.
For the last part of the experiment, the effect of
common ion on the solubility of slightly soluble
salts, the presence of C6H5COO- in the solution
theoretically reduces the solubility of C6H5COOH,
shifting the solubility equilibrium to the left. This
reduction in solubility is also due to the common
ion effect. Generally speaking, the presence of a
second solute that gives a common ion decreases
the solubilty of a slightly soluble salt.
• Calculations – Experimental
Ksp = [C6H5COO-][H+]
C6H5COOH ⇔ C6H5COO- + H+
Initial - 0.07576 0 weak electrolyte but does not affect strong
Change - +x +x
Equilibrium - 0.07576 x weak electrolytes makes it able to shift backward
=0.5 g NaOAc x 1 mole NaOAc/132 g
NaOAc = 0.003788 moles
Molarity = 0.003788 moles/0.050 L
Chem 18.1 Experiment 5: Common ion Effect
= 0.07576 M
Ksp = 2.25 x 10-4 M = [C6H5COO-][H+] =
(0.07576+x)(x)
*we assume that 0.07576 + x = 0.07576
1.12 x 10-4 = (0.07576)(x)
x = 1.478 x 10-3
• Calculations – Theoretical
Ksp = [C6H5COO-][H+] = 2.25 x 10-4 M
C6H5COOH ⇔ C6H5COO- + H+
Initial - 0.07576 0
Change - +x +x
Equilibrium - 0.07576+x x
=0.5 g NaOAc x 1 mole NaOAc/132 g
NaOAc = 0.003788 moles
Molarity = 0.003788 moles/0.050 L
= 0.07576 M
Ksp = 2.25 x 10-4 M = [C6H5COO-][H+] =
(0.07576+x)(x)
*we assume that 0.07576 + x = 0.07576
2.25 x 10-4 M = (0.07576)(x)
x = 2.97 x 10-3
Experimental - 1.478 x 10-3
Theoretical - 2.97 x 10-3
Percent yield = 49.76%
Application
In biological systems, buffer solutions are
essential to perform bodily functions and one
example of this system is the blood. The blood
consists of buffers that able it to retain
homeostasis in the body. In relation to this buffer
systems are incorporated in intravenous
medication to ensure that the medication will not
disturb the equilibrium in the body. Also essential
pH value is required for a certain effectiveness of
the drug is attained.
Conclusion and Recommendation/s
This experiment concludes that the
common ion effect suppresses the ionization of a
electrolytes. The reversibility of the reactions of
in the addition of a common ion. It is also present
in the principle of buffer solutions. The common
ions added to buffer systems are in the forms of
hydrogen and hydroxide ions. In initial reactions
the buffer solutions react to these ions,
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consuming them and forming its former reactants.
Thus by hindering the formation of new ions of
hydrogen and hydroxide, the pH value is
maintained. In solubility, the common ion added
results to the precipitation of the initial salt
dissolved in the system concluding a decrease in
it solubility.
Recommendations applicable to this
experiment would be a better accuracy in
measuring the different reagents and to practice
ideal cleanliness in handling these to avoid
contamination in the solution thus avoiding false
results.

References

Casiday, R., Frey, R. (n.d.). pH Regulation drug

exercise. Retrieved July 15, 2010 from
http://www.chemistry.wustl.edu/~edudev/La
bTutorials/Buffer/Buffer.html

Chang, R. (2008). General Chemistry: The

essential concepts, 5th ed. New York:
McGraw-Hill Companies Inc.

Handout on buffer solutions. (2001). Retrieved

July 15, 2010 from
http://www.chem.cmu.edu/courses/09-
106/notes/buffers.pdf

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Chem 18.1 Experiment 5: Common ion Effect