Need opinion on titration question

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In summary, for the chem prac, we need to dissolve 2g of NaOH in 500 mL of water to make a solution. Since NaOH cannot be used directly as a standard solution, it needs to be titrated with a standard oxalic acid solution. The concentration of NaOH needs to be calculated. However, due to an accidental spill, there is only 200 mL of the NaOH solution left. Diluting it with 200 mL of water and using it to titrate acetic acid may result in inaccurate results and it would be better to obtain a new NaOH solution. Diluting the solution may introduce error and there may not be enough material to complete all replicates.
  • #1
ASidd
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This is what we have to do for our chem prac
1) Dissolve 2g of NaOH in 500 mL of water to make a solution
2) Since NaOH cannot be used directly as standard solution titrate it with a standard oxalic acid solution
3) Calculate concentration of NaOH
4) Now use this standardised solution of NaOH to titrate a solution of acetic acid.

My problem is that I did make a NaOH solution but accidentally spilled most of it. I have about 200 mL left. Unfortunately it's too hard to make a new NaOH solution at this moment.

So my question is If I dilute whatever NaOH solution I have left with say about 200 mL of water and then titrate it to find it's concentration. Then use this new NaOH solution to titrate acetic acid. Will I get messed up results for my acetic acid titration?

Is it unwise to do this and I should just try and somehow obtain a new NaOH solution?
 
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  • #2
A new solution would be ideal. I doubt that you made 2.5 times more NaOH solution than necessary for all the titrations, that would just be wasteful. So diluting can be okay (prior to standardizing) but you risk not having enough material to finish all replicates and you may find that the volume for any given titration is larger than the buret capacity which introduces error into the measurement.
 

FAQ: Need opinion on titration question

What is titration?

Titration is a laboratory technique used to determine the concentration of a substance in a solution by adding a known amount of another substance (called a titrant) until the reaction is complete.

Why is titration important in science?

Titration is important in science because it allows for precise and accurate measurements of the concentration of a substance. It is commonly used in chemistry, biochemistry, and environmental science to analyze samples and determine the amount of a specific component present.

What is the purpose of a titration question?

The purpose of a titration question is to test a person's understanding of the titration process and their ability to calculate and interpret data from a titration experiment.

How does a titration question usually look like?

A titration question typically provides information about the substances involved in the titration, their concentrations, and the volume used. It also asks for the unknown concentration or volume of one of the substances, and may provide additional information or ask for interpretation of the results.

What are some common mistakes in answering a titration question?

Some common mistakes in answering a titration question include using the wrong formula or incorrect units, not accounting for the correct number of moles or particles in the reaction, and rounding errors. It is important to carefully read the question and double-check calculations to avoid these mistakes.

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