Interpretation of Data

Standardizing the NaOH

Standardizing the NaOH solution. The students used potassium hydrogen phthalate (KHP) as the
primary standard. A KHP of known mass therefore known moles can be titrated with the NaOH solution
to precisely the concentration of the NaOH. KHP has one acidic hydrogen atom, and reacts with NaOH
on a 1:1 stoichiometric basis

Since 0.1g of KHP was used in all three trials and the molar mass of KHP is 204.6g. The amount
of moles of KHP can be determined using the formula below. Since the mole ratio is 1:1 the number of
moles of KHP also represent the amount of moles NaOH can react with moles of KHP which can be found
in Table 2. Once the volume of NaOH is found, the number of moles of KHP and the stoichiometric ratio
is used to find the molarity of NaOH. Which can be found in Table 1.
𝑚𝑎𝑠𝑠 𝐾𝐻𝑃
= 𝑚𝑜𝑙 𝐾𝐻𝑃
𝑀 𝐾𝐻𝑃
The average concentration for NaOH is 0.09725 M NaOH. The desired concentration for NaOH is
0.1 M which is near the average concentration of NaOH that have been obtained from the lab with a percent
error of 2.75% which was calculated using the formula below.

Table 3. Number of moles of KHP and NaOH

Trial 1 Trial 2 Trial 3

Number of moles of
0.000489 mol KHP 0.000489 mol KHP 0.000489 mol KHP
KHP (mol)
Number of moles of
NaOH that can react 0.000489 mol NaOH 0.000489 mol NaOh 0.000489 mol NaOH
with KHP (mol)

Using the mole ratio of NaOH and KHP equivalence point can be reached. The equivalence point
tells the volume needed of the unknown concentration NaOH solution for the KHP and NaOH to react in a
stoichiometric ratio. At the equivalence point stoichiometric amounts of KHP and OH - have been mixed.
The product KP- is a weak base. Just past the equivalence point, KHP is limiting, and so OH- is left over
therefore the solution is basic. The equivalence point is determined by the end point which is the point
where the sudden change in color occurs using the indicator Phenolphthalein that changes color as the
solution changes from acidic (Colorless) to basic (Pink). This type of titration use to determine the
concentration of NaOH is called Colorimetric Titration which relies on the sudden change of color by using
an indicator when the pH of the solution changes
Standardizing the HCL
In standardizing the titrant (HCl Solution) the students used the ~0.1M NaOH using
phenolphthalein as the indicator. This type of titration uses a neutralization reaction, in which an acid and
a base react to produce a salt and water. pH level of the reaction is approximately at 7 due to reagents being
strong in their respective field.

Using the equation above the stoichiometric ratio of HCL and NaOH is determined to be 1:1. the
ratio was used to achieve the equivalence point determined by the end point at which color suddenly
changes indicator used Phenolphthalein from basic (Pink) to Neutral/Acidic (Clear). Average concentration
of the three HCl trials is 0.10570 M HCl obtained from the lab the desired concentration is 0.1 M HCl
which is approximately near desired concentration that has a 5.7% error calculated using the percent error
formula