Practical 1

Aim : To determine the heat of neutralisation of

(i) Hydrochloric acid and sodium hydroxide
(ii) Sulphuric acid and sodium hydroxide
(iii) Nitric acid and potassium hydroxide

Introduction :

Enthalpy of Neutralization
Energy changes always accompany chemical reactions. If energy, in the form of
heat, is liberated the reaction is exothermic and if energy is absorbed the reaction is
endothermic. Thermochemistry is concerned with the measurement of the amount of
heat evolved or absorbed. The heat (or enthalpy) of neutralization (ΔH) is the heat
evolved when an acid and a base react to form a salt plus water.
Eq. 1 HNO2(aq) + NAOH(aq) → NaNO2(aq) + H2O(l) + Q

Q in the above equation is -ΔH and is expressed in kJ/mol of water. Neutralization

reactions are generally exothermic and thus ΔH is negative.
Heat measurements are performed by carrying out the reaction in a special container
called a calorimeter. The heat (Q) given off by the neutralization reaction is absorbed
by the reaction solution and the calorimeter. Both the solution and calorimeter
increase in temperature due to the absorbed heat and this increase can be
measured with a thermometer. ΔH is negative if heat is evolved and positive if heat
is absorbed.
Eq. 2 -ΔHneutralization = QSolution + QCalorimeter

The ΔH of neutralization is found by mixing known quantities (moles) of an acid and

a base (both initially at the same temperature) in a calorimeter and measuring Δt of
the mixture and the calorimeter.
The heat given off by the neutralization reaction, ΔH, is the sum of the heat absorbed
by the solution and calorimeter.

Materials : EC1 is 1.0 mol/dm3 hydrochloric acid

EC2 is 1.0 mol/dm3 solution of sulphuric acid
EC3 is 1.0 mol/dm3 aqueous sodium hydroxide
EC4 is 1.0 mol/dm3 nitric acid
EC5 is 1.0 mol/dm3 aqueous potassium hydroxide
Apparatus : 25 cm3 pipette, thermometer 0°C-110°C (±0.2°C), 100 cm 3
measuring cylinder, plastic cup and wash bottle filled with distilled
water.

Procedure :

1. Using a pipette, 25 cm3 of EC1 is placed into a plastic cup. The temperature of
EC1 is recorded as the initial temperature of mixture R in the table below.
2. Using a measuring cylinder, 25 cm 3 of solution EC3 is added into the plastic
cup containing EC1.
3. Mixture R is stirred carefully with a thermometer and the highest temperature
attained is recorded in the table below.
4. Mixture R is poured away from the plastic cup. Then, the cup is cleaned and
rinsed with distilled water.
5. The above procedure is repeated using :
i. 25 cm3 of EC2 to replace EC1 to obtain mixture S, and
ii. 25 cm3 of EC4 and 25 cm3 of EC5 to replace EC1 and EC3
respectively to obtain mixture T.

Results :
Mixture R Mixture S Mixture T

EC1 + EC3 EC2 + EC3 EC4 + EC5

Highest 34 35 32
Temperature /°C
Initial 29 30 27
Temperature /°C
Increase in 5 5 5
temperature/°C

Table 1
Discussion :

Based on Table 1, the initial temperature of the three strong acids is below than
30°C because in this condition, these three solutions of acids are not reacts with
other bases.

For mixture R, the initial temperature (temperature of hydrochloric acid) is 29°C.

Then, the highest temperature reached of this mixture which is the neutralisation
reaction between hydrochloric acid and aqueous sodium hydroxide is 34°C. This
occur because of the reaction is between the strong acid and strong base. So, both
of these strong acid and strong base are completely ionized in the mixture. The
temperature is increasing about 5°C. This reaction is exothermic reaction because
they release the heat and the temperature is increase.

For mixture S, these are also a strong acid and base which is reacts together to form
water and salt. The initial temperature of the solution of sulphuric acid is 30°C. This
temperature increase to 35°C after the aqueous sodium hydroxide (strong base) is
added to it. This shows that the reaction occurred is an exothermic reaction because
the mixture release the heat. The increasing of temperature is 5°C.

For mixture T, the initial temperature (temperature of nitric acid) is 27°C. This is
because nitric acid is weaker than hydrochloric acid and sulphuric acid but it still one
of the strong acids. The neutralisation reaction between nitric acid and aqueous
potassium hydroxide reached the highest temperature that is 32°C. This is because
both of these solutions are strong acid and strong base. So, they are completely
ionized in the mixture. The increasing of temperature is 5°C. This reaction is an
exothermic reaction because of the releasing of heat and the increasing of
temperature.

The readings are not exactly accurate because there are some environmental
factors that may influence the reaction such as the room temperature is not 27°C
because this experiment took place in the air-conditioning laboratory. The other
factor is the volume of the solution is not totally involved in the reaction because
sometimes the solution such as hydrochloric acid may leave in the end of the pipette.
Questions :

1. Write an ionic equation for the reaction taking place in mixture R, S, and T.

Mixture R : NaOH(aq) Na+(aq) + OH¯(aq)

HCl(aq) H+ (aq) + Cl¯(aq)
H+ (aq) + Cl¯(aq) + Na+(aq) + OH¯(aq) Na+(aq) + Cl¯(aq) + H2O(aq)

Mixture S : NaOH(aq) Na+ (aq) + OH¯(aq)

H2SO4(aq) H+(aq) + SO4¯(aq)
Na+(aq) + H+(aq) + SO4¯(aq) + OH¯ (aq) Na+(aq) + SO4¯ (aq) + H2O(aq)

Mixture T : HNO3(aq) H+(aq) + NO3¯(aq)

KOH(aq) K¯ (aq) + OH¯(aq)
H+(aq) + NO3¯(aq) + K¯ (aq) + OH¯(aq) NO3¯(aq) + K¯ (aq) + H2O(aq)

2. Compare the value of the heat of neutralization you obtained in

i. Mixture R and S
ii. Mixture R and T; and
iii. Mixture S and T
Explain why there is a difference or similarity between the two values that you
Compare.

Mixture R, Q = mcθ
m = 1 x 50 , c = 4.18 J g-1 C-1, θ = 5.0°C
= 50 cm3

Q = 50 x 4.18 x 5.0
= 1.045 kJ

No of moles of NaOH, 25 x 1.0 = 0.025 mol

1000

Heat of neutralisation, = 1.045 kJ

0.025 mol

= - 41.8 kJ/mol
Mixture S, Q = mcθ
m = 1 x 50 , c = 4.18 J g-1 C-1, θ = 5.0°C
= 50 cm3

Q = 50 x 4.18 x 5.0
= 1.045 kJ

No of moles of NaOH, 25 x 1.0 = 0.025 mol

1000

Heat of neutralisation, = 1.045 kJ

0.025 mol

= - 41.8 kJ/mol

Mixture T, Q = mcθ
m = 1 x 50 , c = 4.18 J g-1 C-1, θ = 5.0°C
= 50 cm3

Q = 50 x 4.18 x 5.0
= 1.045 kJ

No of moles of NaOH, 25 x 1.0 = 0.025 mol

1000

Heat of neutralisation, = 1.045 kJ

0.025 mol

= - 41.8 kJ/mol

The value of heat of neutralisation for these three mixtures is same. This is because
these three reaction involving the strong acids and strong bases. Both of the strong
acids and strong bases is completely ionized in the solution. So, there is the same
amount of H+ and OH- released by strong acids and bases. The overall reaction
between a strong acid and a strong base is combination of H +(aq) and OH¯ to form
H2O. The heat evolved is also the same. This is because heat also liberated when
the strong acid undergoes dilution when the strong base is added to it. As a result,
the heat should around 57.3 kJ. But in these cases, there have a few factors that
influence the experiment causing the value of heat of neutralisation is not exactly
57.3 kJ.
3. The heat of neutralisation between a strong acid and a strong base is
-57.3 kJ/mol. Suggests two ways to improve the given procedure so that an
approximate value of -57.3 kJ/mol could be obtained?
i. Increase the volume of the solution such as the volume of
hydrochloric acid, and so on.
ii. Leave the mixture for a few moments to get the exactly highest
temperature that can attain by the mixture.
iii. Make sure the cups are thoroughly dry before proceed the next
procedure.
iv. Covers the cup with other plastic cover that acts as insulator to
increase the efficiency of the cup during the mixture react.

4. Will the heat of neutralisation between a strong acid and a weak base greater or
less than -57.3 kJ/mol? Explain.

The heat of neutralisation between a strong acid and a weak base will less than
-57.3 kJ/mol. The weak base are ionised to a small extent in solutions. So, weak
base is only partially ionised in solution. Since the neutralization involves a
reaction between H+(from the acid) and OH- (from the base), hence weak acid
must be fully ionised as per the reaction. The weak bases therefore, have to be
dissociated to give an equivalent of H+ or OH- ions but, neutralisation of weak
acid and strong base (or a weak base and strong acid) not only involves the
combination of H+ and OH- ions but also the dissociation of a weak acid (or a
weak base). The dissociation process is accompanied by the absorption of
energy. This energy is called the heat of dissociation. Therefore, the overall
liberated energy is less than 57.1 kJ (i.e., 57.1 of dissociation of acid or base).
References :

Keith J. Laidler, John H. Meiser, Bryan C. Sanctuary (2003). Fourth Edition.

Physical Chemistry. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston, New York.

http://faculty.ccri.edu/aahughes/GenChemII/Lab
%20Experiments/Enthalpy_of_Neutralization.pdf

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neutralization_%28chemistry%29

http://www.chem.memphis.edu/bridson/FundChem/T16a1100.htm

http://www.tutorvista.com/content/chemistry/chemistry-iii/thermodynamics/enthalpy-
change.php

http://web.lemoyne.edu/~giunta/chm151L/calorimetry.html#neutralization