CHM171L Physical Chemistry 2 Laboratory

4th Quarter AY 2015-2016

Conductimetry: Determination of the Electrical Properties of

Solutions
Ricky Jay C. Gomez1
1Students, Mapúa Institute of Technology, School of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry

ABSTRACT

The study focused on conductivity, wherein it gave importance on determining the relative mobility of the
monovalent ions and the dissociation constant of a weak electrolyte. In this experiment we determined the
electrolytic conductance and ion mobility of different solutions, specifically on a concentration of 0.1 M NH 4Cl, HCl,
NaCl, NaC2H3O2, NaOH. In determining the electrolytic conductance, it was easier to differentiate the conductance of
an acid, base and salt. On the other hand, the determination of dissociation constant of a weak electrolyte, specifically
KOH mixed with H2O, a sample of 1 M NH4OH, and lastly a sample of 0.01 M NH4OH. This then proved that law of
independent migration of ions, wherein it states that ions of opposite charges move independently from each other
in the case of infinite dilution.

Keywords: mobility, dissociation constant, conductance, electrolyte.

INTRODUCTION On the other hand, Molar conductivity is defined as

the conductivity of an electrolyte solution divided by
Conductimetry is the chemistry of measuring the the molar concentration of the electrolyte, and so
conductivity of solutions. Conductivity is the measure measures the efficiency with which a given electrolyte
of an ability to conduct electricity. The electrolytes are conducts electricity in solution. Giving us the equation:
the ones conducting the solutions wherein they
produce ions when dissolved. Therefore, the solutions 𝑘
Λ=
are then conducting the current or electric current 𝑀
from the shift of the ions from the field of electricity. Λ is the molar conductivity; k is the specific
By the strength of the current, it can be distinguished conductance while M is the molar concentration of the
whether it is a strong or weak electrolyte. A strong solution.
electrolyte is a solute that completely, or almost
completely, ionizes or dissociates in a solution. These For weak electrolytes the fraction dissociated, 𝛼, is not
ions are good conductors of electric current in the unity but is given by the ratio of equivalent
solution. Originally, a strong electrolyte was defined conductance to the conductance at
as a chemical that, when in aqueous solution, is a good infinite dilution, assuming that ionic mobility is
conductor of electricity. Conductance is known as the independent of concentration. Giving the equation:
degree on which an object conducts electricity, and
Λ
calculated as the ratio of the current that flows to the α=
Λ𝑜
potential difference present, it is the reciprocal of the
resistance, giving us the equation:
For weak electrolytes with a small value of the
1 𝐴
𝐺= =𝐾 dissociation constant, it follows that α increases as the
𝑅 𝐼 concentration decreases until α = 1 in the case of
infinite dilution. Even weak electrolytes dissociate
R is the resistance, K is the conductivity, A is the cross completely when infinitely dilute because
sectional area of the electrodes, while l is the distance recombination does not take place due to the infinite
between electrodes. distances between cations and anions.

EXPERIMENT 02 | GROUP 05 | MAY 31, 2016 1

MATERIALS AND METHOD Solution Conductance
0.1 M NH4Cl 12.51 mS
The materials and equipment used in this experiment 0.1 M HCl 51.9 mS
were 50-mL beaker, 10-mL graduated cylinder and 0.1 M NaCl 10.36 mS
conductivity meter. The reagents used were deionized 0.1 M NaC2H3O2 7.24 mS
water, 0.1 M HCl, 0.1 M NH4Cl, 0.1 M NaCl, 0.1 M 0.1 M NaOH 19.3 mS
NaC2H3O2 and 0.1 M NaOH. TABLE 1: Conductance for different solutions used.
This experiment consists of two parts. The first part is The chemical equations for the dissociation of the
about electrolytic conductance and Ionic Mobility. The different reagents used in the experiment are
second part is the determination of the dissociation tabulated below:
constant of a weak electrolyte.
In the first part of the experiment, the conductance Equation
meter has been set up for the measurements. 10-mL of NH4Cl  NH4+ + Cl-
different solutions with molarity of 0.1 have been HCl  H+ + Cl-
prepared. By immersing the electrode in the solution,
NaCl  Na+ + Cl-
the conductance of each of the electrolyte was
measured. After the measurement procedures, the NaC2H3O2  Na+ + C2H3O2-
electrode was washed with deionized water and dried NaOH  Na+ + OH-
with tissues paper before immersing again to another TABLE 2: Dissociation equations.
solution. For the treatment of the results, the
equations for the dissociation of each of the electrolyte From the data of the first part of the experiment
used were wrote. The conductance of the solutions tabulated in TABLE 1, comparing the conductance of
containing chloride ions were tabulated in an the chloride salts, the sodium chloride has the lowest
increasing manner. From these, results, the order for value observed. This might be the consequence of the
the relative mobility of the cations in the solution was electrolyte present. Cation with less mass have greater
inferred. Same thing was done with the anion, but this magnitude of conductance. This is due to the mobility
time, the increasing conductance of solutions of lighter cations as opposed to the heavier ones.
containing sodium ions was considered.
In the second part of the experiment, Different The molar mass of ions present in the solution is
mixtures of water and 0.01 M KOH were prepared in inversely proportional to the electrical conductance of
50-mL beaker, which give a varying concentrations of the solution. This means that an ion with higher
the KOH in the prepared solutions. The conductance of conductance has higher mobility. This also means that
the mixtures was then measured. Each 10-mL of 1.0M the ion has a low molar mass, which makes it more
and 0.1 M of ammonia solution was separated in two mobile.
test tubes then the conductance was measured for
The data for determining the dissociation constant of
each solution. For the treatment of the results, the
ammonium hydroxide is tabulated below:
concentration of potassium hydroxide in each mixture
prepared was calculated. The concentration and the Volume
conductance of the potassium hydroxide solutions Volume
Conductance 0.1 M
were tabulated. Also, the plot of the concentration Mixture Water Conc.
mS KOH
versus conductance was generated. The chemical mL
mL
equation for the dissociation of ammonia into ions was 1 0 2 0.01 50
drawn. From the curve fitting equation of the plot for 2 10 1.564 0.008 40
the KOH, the concentration of the ammonia for each 3 20 1.365 0.006 30
solution was calculated since this equation gives the 4 30 0.976 0.004 20
same conductance for ammonia as that of the KOH. 5 40 0.461 0.002 10
6 50 0.0802 0.0004 2
Dissociation
Sample Conductance
RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS Constant
1 M NH4OH 1.325 4.03x10-5
Here is the data for the electrolytic conductance and 0.01 M NH4OH 1.408 4.59x10-4
ionic mobility of the different solutions used in the TABLE 3: Data for the dissociation of NH4OH.
experiment:

EXPERIMENT 02 | GROUP 05 | MAY 31, 2016 2

From the data above, as the concentration of KOH-
water mixture decreases, the conductance also
decreases. The trend of the data suggests a direct
proportionality between the concentration and
conductance of the mixture.
Since the data shows a linear nature, rough estimation
of the concentration of the NH4OH when dissociated
with water can be done by linear regression with the
use of the gathered conductance for 1 M and 0.01 M
NH4OH.
increases, the conductance also increases. This effect
is due to the increase of the solute or the solid particles
in the solution in which eventually will dissociate with
the solvent used. Solids are more conductive that
liquids. By increasing the amount of solute in the
solution, the ions will also increase after the
dissociation, which then give same effect to the
conductance. Dissociation constant is calculated from
the product of the concentration of the dissociated
ions to the concentration of the solution at equilibrium.
REFERENCES

Concentration vs Conductance [1] Atkins. (n.d.). Physical Chemsitry. Oxford

2500 University.
Conductance, microS

2000
[2] Levine. (2009). Physical Chemistry. New York:
1500 McGraw Hill.
1000
500
0
0 0.002 0.004 0.006 0.008 0.01 0.012
Concentration, M

FIGURE 1: Plot for concentration vs conductance

curve during the dissociation of NH4OH in water.

y = 195050x + 86.111

The equation for the estimation of the concentration

of NH4OH at the measured conductance could be
formulated from the regression data. At equilibrium,
dissociation constant can be calculated.

CONCLUSION

Conductance is a property of a substance that

determines its susceptibility to electricity flow. This is
the degree to which an object conducts electricity,
which is calculated as the ratio of the current that
flows to the potential difference.

There are two types of conductors, the electronic

conductor which allows the flow of electricity through
electron transfer and the another one is the
electrolytes which conduct electricity through the
migration of ions.

Conductance is also measured to determine the

concentration of a mixture at equilibrium after the
dissociation reaction. The trend of the data gathered
suggests that conductance is directly proportional to
the concentration of the solution. As the concentration

EXPERIMENT 02 | GROUP 05 | MAY 31, 2016 3