A seemingly simple titration problem

Click For Summary

Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around a titration problem involving the neutralization of NaOH with HCl. Participants analyze the calculations related to the concentration of NaOH based on the volume and molarity of HCl used in the titration, comparing their results with an answer provided by MIT OCW.

Discussion Character

  • Technical explanation, Debate/contested, Homework-related

Main Points Raised

  • One participant calculates that 15.4 mL of 1.0M HCl corresponds to 0.00154 mol of HCl, leading to a concentration of 0.308M for the NaOH in the original sample.
  • Another participant suggests that the initial calculation is correct and implies that the answer from MIT OCW may be mistaken.
  • One participant points out a potential typo in the molarity calculation, stating that 15.4 mL should contain 0.0154 moles, which aligns with the original participant's concentration of 0.308M.
  • Another participant reiterates the same point about the mole calculation and suggests that the discrepancy with the MIT OCW answer could be due to an alteration in the question without updating the answer.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express disagreement regarding the correctness of the answer provided by MIT OCW, with some asserting that their calculations are correct while questioning the source's accuracy. There is no consensus on the validity of the MIT OCW answer.

Contextual Notes

Participants acknowledge issues with significant figures and potential typos in their calculations, which may affect the interpretation of the results.

zenterix
Messages
774
Reaction score
84
Homework Statement
In your lab, you find an old bottle labeled “sodium hydroxide” with no concentration on it. To determine what the concentration is, 50.0 mL of the solution was diluted to 100. mL and titrated to the equivalence point with 15.4 mL of 1.0 M HCl(aq). What is the molarity of the sodium hydroxide solution in the bottle?
Relevant Equations
This seems to be a simple problem but my answer does not match the solution (on MIT OCW).
I tried to solve the problem (problem 1 on this problem set) by noting that titrating to the equivalence point means neutralizing all of the NaOH with the titrant HCl.

Since 15.4mL of HCl at 1.0M was used, then 0.00154 mol of HCl was used to neutralize the same amount of NaOH.

Therefore, in the original sample of 50mL which came from the bottle, the concentration was 0.00154mol/50mL which is 0.308M.

The available answer from MIT OCW is 0.62M.

Now, a few observations

- I know that I am not doing a good job with significant figures. I imagine my answer should be 0.31M, which means the answer from MIT OCW is double mine.

- Not sure why though. After all, whatever NaOH was neutralized in 100mL was present in the original 50mL.
 
Physics news on Phys.org
Your solution looks OK, must be mistake on the site.
 
  • Like
Likes   Reactions: laser1 and zenterix
If 1000ml contains 1 mole
then 100ml contains 0.1 mole
and 10ml contains 0.01 moles.
So 15.4ml contains 0.0154 moles, not 0.00154 moles.
Which is a typo on your part, of course as 0.0154 moles matches your answer of 0.308M. Which is correct answer.

Did you get the correct answers for the other questions?
 
DrJohn said:
If 1000ml contains 1 mole
then 100ml contains 0.1 mole
and 10ml contains 0.01 moles.
So 15.4ml contains 0.0154 moles, not 0.00154 moles.
Which is a typo on your part, of course as 0.0154 moles matches your answer of 0.308M. Which is correct answer.

Did you get the correct answers for the other questions?
Yes, I did.
 
So their answer of 0.62M is one of two things.
a) Wrong
or
b) They altered the question to make it slightly different, and forgot to alter the answer.
Settle for you got it right!
 
  • Like
Likes   Reactions: zenterix

Similar threads

  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
2K
  • · Replies 4 ·
Replies
4
Views
2K
  • · Replies 8 ·
Replies
8
Views
2K
  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
22K
  • · Replies 16 ·
Replies
16
Views
4K
  • · Replies 7 ·
Replies
7
Views
2K
  • · Replies 3 ·
Replies
3
Views
2K
Replies
1
Views
3K
  • · Replies 4 ·
Replies
4
Views
5K
Replies
6
Views
7K