Required practical 9: To investigate how pH changes when a weak acid reacts
with a strong base.
Equipment’s required:
two 50 cm3 burettes
• two funnels
• 100 cm3 beaker
• deionised (or distilled) water in a wash bottle
• stand and clamp
• pH meter/probe
• 0.100 mol dm–3 sodium hydroxide solution
• 0.100 mol dm–3 ethanoic acid solution
• standard pH buffer solutions at pH 4.00, 7.00 and 9.20
• stirring rod
• graph paper.
Method:
Part 1 Calibrate the pH meter.
a) Rinse the pH probe thoroughly with deionised water and shake it gently to remove excess water. Place
the probe in the standard pH 7.00 buffer solution provided, ensuring that the bulb is fully immersed.
Record the pH reading in a suitable table.
b) Repeat this process using the standard pH 4.00 and 9.20 buffer solutions. Rinse the pH probe
thoroughly with deionised water before taking each reading. Record the pH readings in your table.
c) Plot a graph of your recorded pH reading (x-axis) against the pH of the buffer solution. Your graph may
be a straight line or a curve. This calibration graph will be used in the next part of the experiment to
convert pH readings into more accurate pH values.
Part 2 The measurement of the pH of the mixture of acid and alkali
a) Rinse a burette with the 0.100 mol dm–3 solution of ethanoic acid provided and then fill the burette
with this solution, ensuring that it is filled below the tap. Label this burette so that you do not confuse it
with the second burette.
b) Use the burette to transfer exactly 20.0 cm3 of ethanoic acid to a clean 100 cm3 beaker.
c) Rinse a second burette with the 0.100 mol dm–3 NaOH solution provided and then fill this second
burette with this solution, ensuring that it is filled below the tap.
d) Rinse the pH probe with distilled or deionised water and clamp it so that its bulb is fully immersed in
the ethanoic acid solution in the beaker. Use a rod to stir the solution gently and record the pH reading in
a suitable table.
e) Using the second burette, add exactly 2.0 cm3 of the NaOH solution to the beaker containing the
ethanoic acid. Stir the mixture gently with the glass rod and measure the pH of the mixture. Record the
pH reading. Add the NaOH solution in 2.0 cm3 portions from the second burette to the ethanoic acid in
the beaker until 18 cm3 of the NaOH solution have been added. Take a pH reading after each addition of
NaOH solution, and in each case record the pH reading in your table. Then add the NaOH solution in 0.20
cm3 portions until 22.0 cm3 is reached. Then add the NaOH solution in 2.0 cm3 portions again until 40
cm3 have been added.
f) Rinse the pH probe with distilled or deionised water when you have taken all of your readings.
Analysing the data:
a) Use your calibration graph from Part 1 to adjust, as appropriate, the pH readings obtained in your
experiment in Part 2. These corrected pH values should be entered into a new column in your table of
results.
b) Plot a graph of the corrected pH values from Part 2 (y-axis) against volume of sodium hydroxide
solution added.
c) Join the points in the most appropriate way. d) Comment on the shape of the curve.
Risk Assessment:
Hazard Risk Precaution Action
Ethanoic acid Corrosive and Always wear safety glasses. Do Eye contact:
Flammable not allow the solution to meet Immediately flush
your skin. the eye with
plenty of water.
Don’t keep it near naked flames. Continue for at
least ten minutes
and call for
immediate
medical help.
Skin contact:
Wash off with
plenty of water.
Remove any
contaminated
clothing.
If the skin
reddens or
appears damaged,
call for medical
aid.
If swallowed:
Drink plenty of
water and call for
immediate
medical help.
Sodium Contact with very Wear eye protection.
high concentrations Eye contact
Hydroxide
of sodium hydroxide
can cause severe
Make sure the labs are well
burns to the eyes, ventilated. Flush your
skin, digestive eyes with
system, or lungs, Do not breathe
resulting in water for 30
dust/fume/gas/mist/vapors/spray.
permanent damage minutes.
or death. Prolonged
or repeated skin
contact may cause lift upper and
dermatitis.
Repeated inhalation
lower lids.
of sodium hydroxide
vapor can lead to Remove
permanent lung
damage. contact lenses.
Skin Contact
Remove
contaminated
clothing.
Flush with
water for 15
minutes.
Inhalation
Remove the
person from
exposure if it is
safe for you to
do it.
If a person is
unresponsive
and not
breathing
normally, then
begin CPR.
Ingestion
DO NOT MAKE
THE PERSON
VOMIT.
Never give
anything by
mouth to an
unconscious
person.
If the person is
fully conscious
and is not in
respiratory
distress, give
them a cup of
water to drink
to dilute the
sodium
hydroxide.
pH 4 Buffer Eye Effects: Avoid skin contact. Eye Contact
solution Irritation to eyes Rinse
and possible Keep the labs well ventilated. immediately with
burning if materials plenty of water,
are Acute Inhalation also under the
Effects: Might eyelids, for at
produce irritation to least 15 minutes.
not immediately Get medical
rinsed from the attention. Skin
eyes. respiratory Contact Wash off
system immediately with
plenty of water
Skin Effects: for at least 15
Irritation to skin minutes. Get
medical attention
immediately if
symptoms occur.
Remove and wash
contaminated
clothing and
gloves, including
the inside, before
re-use. Ingestion
Do NOT induce
vomiting. Get
medical attention.
Never give
anything to an
unconscious
person. Drink 1 or
2 glasses of
water. Inhalation
Remove to fresh
air. If breathing is
difficult, give
oxygen. If not
breathing,
giveartificial
respiration. Get
medical attention
immediately
thoroughly with
soap and water.
Get medical
attention if
irritation persists
after washing.
Eye contact Rinse
immediately with
plenty of water.
Remove contact
lenses, if present
and easy to do.
Continue rinsing.
Continue to rinse
for at least 10
minutes. Get
medical attention
if irritation
persists after
washing.
Glassware Cuts from broken Handle equipment if broken clean
(Burette, pieces with a dustpan.
Beakers) With care. Don’t Don’t attempt to
pick broken
keep glassware near pieces with your
hands.
the edge of the
table.
References:
Method: Available at: https://filestore.aqa.org.uk/resources/chemistry/AQA-7404-7405-
PHBK.PDF (Accessed: February 5, 2023).
Risk Assessment:
Ethanoic acid: https://science.cleapss.org.uk/resource/sss023-ethanoic-acetic-acid.pdf
(Accessed: February 5, 2023).
Sodium Hydroxide: https://beta-static.fishersci.com/content/dam/fishersci/en_US/documents/
programs/education/regulatory-documents/sds/chemicals/chemicals-s/S25550.pdf
(Accessed: February 5, 2023).
pH 4 Buffer solution: https://www.chemicals.co.uk/uploads/documents/44%20-
%201136%20-%20SDS10677.pdf (Accessed: February 5, 2023).
Glassware: https://wiki.bath.ac.uk/display/chemistrysafety/Use+of+glassware (Accessed:
February 5, 2023).
