REPORT (Laboratory Questions)

In Part A.2 of the experiment, a 20-mL volume of previously boiled, deionized water is
added to the Erlenmeyer flask to prepare the sample for titration. Evidently, the volume of the
water added to the Erlenmeyer flash would not be considered as critical to the analysis of the
data since it does not have the capacity to affect the equilibrium or the number balance between
the number of hydronium and hydroxide ions. In addition, the volume of the water would only be
efficient in determining when was the endpoint had been reached, thus, the volume would not be
deemed as something that would adhere consequences to the analysis of the experiment. Lastly,
the titration process is typically done between acids and bases, thus, it would not have any effect
as the Ph level of water is equal to 7, which means that it’s neutral.

However, if previously boiled, deionized water is unavailable, which is the reason why
deionized water (not boiled) is added instead, it would affect the percent acetic acid in the
vinegar. Apparently, the purpose of using boiled deionized water is to remove any dissolved
gases in the set-up of the experiment such as carbon dioxide or oxygen from the water. In fact,
the bubbles would be comprehended as part of the volume as well. Consequently, if one uses
deionized water (not boiled) it would affect the percent acetic acid in the vinegar since carbon
dioxide and oxygen are considered molecular, which, if not removed from the deionizing process
would lead to the percent acetic acid in the vinegar to be too high.

In addition to that, if a 20 mL of water added to the Erlenmeyer flask is to be previously

boiled deionized water. The water would absorb CO2 from the atmosphere and CO2 dissolved in
water would cause it to be slightly acidic, thus, in order to determine the amount of acetic acid in
vinegar, the usage of volumetric titration of acetic acid with the standardized NaOH solution
should be used. Also, once the deionized water, which was used in the titration, absorbs the
carbon dioxide, it would eventually form carbonic acid after reacting with water.

Furthermore, with the carbonic acid being present in the deionized water, there exists a
high result in the consumption of a higher amount of NaOH for neutralization, which would lead
to the amount of the acetic acid to be too high than the normal. Lastly, both carbon dioxide and
oxygen are the main factors in causing the acetic acid to be too acidic, which leads to more
NaOH to be dispensed.

In terms of determining the percent acetic acid in vinegar, the mass of each vinegar
sample is measured rather than the volume. Likewise, the calculation of the mass of each vinegar
sample is more prioritized when determining the percent acetic acid in vinegar since the mass of
the vinegar is required in determining the percentage composition, not the volume. As shown
below, the mass of each vinegar sample is measured in determining the percent acetic acid:

𝑔 𝐶𝐻3 𝐶𝑂𝑂𝐻
𝑥100 = %𝐶𝐻3 𝐶𝑂𝑂𝐻
𝑔 𝑉𝑖𝑛𝑒𝑔𝑎𝑟

Nevertheless, if the vinegar were measured volumetrically (e.g., a pipet), the additional
data needed for the completion of the calculations would be the density of the vinegar, which
would be converted from milliliters to the amount of grams used in the experiment. As shown
below, the measured volume (mL) would be converted into mass (g), if the density (g/mL) of the
vinegar would be given. Similarly, as the formula below:

𝑔
𝑉(𝑚𝐿)𝑥 𝜌 = 𝑔 𝑉𝑖𝑛𝑒𝑔𝑎𝑟
𝑚𝐿

In doing the Part A.3 of the experiment, if burette is filled with the NaOH titrant and the
initial volume reading is immediately recorded without waiting the recommended 10 – 15
seconds. However, the 10 – 15 seconds time lapse does occur before the reading is made, the
result of the initial reading would be too high, thus, it is given that the error would result in an
increase effect on the reported percent acetic acid in the vinegar. Likewise, with the initial
reading being too high, it would also result that more amount of NaOH might have been
dispensed in the vinegar than there actually was, which shows that there exists a high effect on
the percent acetic acid.
 Additionally, the error in the titration process would be seen if the endpoint or the color
change expected in the process was not met, so if the NaOH solution exceeded the amount
needed, it would result into a technical error. Likewise, if there is more NaOH than there should
be, then it is evident that the more acid would have been needed to neutralize the titration
process. Thus, the imbalance process between the base and the acid would result an increase
effect on the reported percent acetic acid in the vinegar being too high.

Assuming that the wall of the Erlenmeyer flask is periodically rinsed with the previously
boiled deionized water from the wash bottle. The previously boiled deionized water used in
rinsing the wall of the Erlenmeyer flask would have no effect on the reported percent acetic acid
in the vinegar. Obviously, the water does not have the capacity to affect the number balance of
the hydronium and the hydroxide ions; thus, it would not yield into altering the reported percent
acetic acid in the vinegar.

In fact, if a drop of NaOH titrant, dispensed from the burette, adheres to the wall of the
Erlenmeyer flask, but is not washed into the vinegar with the wash bottle, it would have still
been already considered as a part of the NaOH in the vinegar. However, if the NaOH adheres to
the wall, the percent of acetic acid would be too high, since it would be assumed that there is a
more amount of NaOH added than there actually is. Lastly, this idea also shows that the NaOH
solution must get to the vinegar completely to acquire more accurate result in determining the
percent of acetic acid in the vinegar.
CONCLUSION

In this experiment, Vinegar Analysis, the usage of a known concentration of a substance

in determining unknown concentration, the conversion of volume to the number of moles, the
conversion of moles to grams, and the percent by mass of the acetic acid, in accordance with the
titration process, an addition of one solution of a known concentration to a known volume of
another solution of unknown concentration, and stoichiometry, is accomplished

During the first trial of the experiment, the Vinegar A was used first. Since it is already
given that the endpoint of the titration process should result in a color change, which in this
experiment needs a clear light pink solution, the adding of the base onto the acid was still
uncertain since it needs to reach the neutralization needed in order to reach the endpoint. As a
result, the first trial of the titration process resulted in having a dark pink solution instead with
the usage of 37 mL of NaOH solution. Therefore, it is concluded that a decrease in the amount of
NaOH would be needed in order to reach the required endpoint of the process, which was
attained after decreasing it by 1 mL. Thus, it assisted in making the succeeding trials successful
as the solution turned into a light pink color. Consequently, as the trials for each vinegar was
able to reach the endpoint of the process, I therefore conclude that the reaction, which is the
solution turning into light pink, indicated neutralization reactions – the moles of the acid equaled
the moles of the base, at the same time indicated equilibrium between the two substances as well.

In conclusion, the titration process is a beneficial procedure in finding the concentration

of a substance within a solution as long as there would be fewer inaccuracies in performing the
experiment. Additionally, it is used in determining the concentration of the unknown with the use
of some indicators as well in determining the endpoint of the process. Furthermore, as shown in
our report sheet analysis, the percent mass of acetic acid in the vinegar in each trial is almost the
same, yielding a 4.4%, which is in the expected value of 4% to 5% of the percent mass of acetic
acid.
 EXPERIMENT 1
VINEGAR ANALYSIS

GROUP NO: #3 CM011L/ B8

NAME: DE LEON, AUDREY LEI C.
COURSE AND YEAR: CIVIL ENGINEERING – 1ST YEAR