Why Is It Necessary to Dissolve KHP in Water During Titration?

[sportsstar469]

ok i am doing my lab report ow, and i am compeltely lost with some of these questions. it was a titration neutralization lab can get some help?

1- why is it necessary to dissolve the khp in water?
2- why is necessary to swirl the flask during the titration?

i think the second one is so the khp dissolves and mixes fully, but that seems to easy. i don't know the first one at all though. thanks for any suggestions.

 

[pzona]

Titrations are a form of aqueous reaction. I'm sure you remember that dissolving a solid (KHP) in a liquid (whatever you're titrating) has a much slower diffusion rate than two aqueous solutions. Depending on what level of chemistry you're taking, this should probably give you your answer.

Your second answer, as far as I can tell, is correct.

 

[symbolipoint]

sportsstar469,

What confuses you about the two titration questions? For #1, imagine trying to do a titration without dissolving the KHP. Do you believe this might be an inefficient way to conduct a titration? Can you imagine why? Do you want this analyte dissolved, or in mostly one solid clump? For #2, do you expect the solutions in the titration flask to mix on their own effort? Think about the practical nature of these mechanics. Dripping the titrant into the flask is only enough for the titrant to find initial settlement in one location and then will diffuse on its own. Think why this is not good enough!

 

[_Molly_]

Usually when doing titrations of that nature, an acid-base indicator is used in the lab, such as phenolphthalein. To answer your #2 question, I would take a look at your procedure info to see if you need an acid-base indicator and to think why swirling the flask would be important.