Titration with Carbonates acting as bases

In summary: The saturation of the solution with the carbonate won't work because it will just add to the amount of CO2 in the solution and skew your results.
  • #1
Kushal
438
1

Homework Statement



when a carbonate acts as a base and neutralises an acid, CO2 is formed. the problem is that some of the CO2 dissolves in the water and forms Carbonic Acid.the Carbonic acid will affect the titre value as it will react with the base, along with the HCl. How do we prevent this to happen?


Homework Equations



Na2CO3 + HCl -----> 2NaCl + CO2 + H2O

CO2 + H2O ------> H2CO3


The Attempt at a Solution



what I'm thinking of is that, by heating the flask containing the titrating mixture as the titration is performed, the CO2 may dissolve out of the water...

Is it a good solution? If you have any other suggestion, let me know,
 
Physics news on Phys.org
  • #2
Is there any way that you could think of that could throw off the equlibrium?
 
  • #3
Stevedye56 said:
Is there any way that you could think of that could throw off the equlibrium?

Yeah, you're right; i can eliminate the CO2 by just added a lil' bit more of the Na2CO3...

thnx...

but the heat thing also works perfect, since solubility of a gas decreases with increase in temperature.
 
  • #4
Kushal said:
Yeah, you're right; i can eliminate the CO2 by just added a lil' bit more of the Na2CO3...

This won't work. You are titrating an unknown amount of carbonate with an acid. Adding additional carbonate will skew your results.

The heating idea is good. Sparging or vacuum degassing also works.
 
  • #5
Heating is probably your best bet. It will be the simplest for you unelss you are just doing the problem for homework. Then you could just mention the various ways.
 
  • #6
hey chemisttree can you explain to me in more detail why the saturation of the solution with the carbonate won't work...
 
  • #7
Kushal said:
hey chemisttree can you explain to me in more detail why the saturation of the solution with the carbonate won't work...

Well, you ARE trying to titrate an unknown amount of carbonate. How will adding additional carbonate help you with that?
 

1. What is titration with carbonates acting as bases?

Titration with carbonates acting as bases is a laboratory technique used to determine the concentration of an acid by reacting it with a known concentration of a base. In this process, a burette is used to carefully add the base to the acid until the solution reaches a neutral pH, which indicates that the acid has been completely neutralized.

2. How does titration with carbonates acting as bases work?

In titration with carbonates acting as bases, the carbonate ions in the base react with the hydrogen ions in the acid to form water and carbonic acid. This carbonic acid then decomposes into carbon dioxide gas and water, which causes the solution to turn to a neutral pH. The amount of base required to reach this neutral point is used to calculate the concentration of the acid.

3. What are the advantages of using carbonates as bases in titration?

Carbonates are commonly used as bases in titration because they are strong and stable bases that can neutralize acids effectively. They also produce a clear endpoint in the titration process, making it easier to determine when the acid has been completely neutralized. Additionally, carbonates are relatively inexpensive and readily available in the laboratory.

4. Are there any limitations to using carbonates as bases in titration?

One limitation of using carbonates as bases in titration is that they can only be used to titrate weak acids. This is because the carbonate ions react with the hydrogen ions in the acid, and if the acid is too strong, it may react too quickly and make it difficult to accurately determine the endpoint of the titration. Additionally, the presence of impurities in the carbonate can affect the accuracy of the results.

5. How can titration with carbonates acting as bases be used in real-life applications?

Titration with carbonates acting as bases has various real-life applications, such as in the food and beverage industry to determine the acidity of different products. It is also frequently used in environmental analysis to measure the amount of acid present in water samples. In the pharmaceutical industry, titration with carbonates acting as bases is used to determine the purity of different drugs. It is also commonly used in educational laboratories to teach students about acid-base reactions and titration techniques.

Similar threads

Double titration and law of equivalence
    • Biology and Chemistry Homework Help
Replies
10
Views
2K
Calculating the Formula of a Hydrated Compound
    • Biology and Chemistry Homework Help
Replies
3
Views
5K
What Volume of NaOH is Required for Back Titration in Simple Back Titration?
    • Biology and Chemistry Homework Help
Replies
2
Views
1K
Magnesium Carbonates Reaction Under Various Test?
    • Biology and Chemistry Homework Help
Replies
1
Views
2K
Finding mass of acetyl salicylic acid in aspirin tablet
    • Biology and Chemistry Homework Help
Replies
2
Views
21K
Solve Backtitration Problem: Find mL of NaOH Used
    • Biology and Chemistry Homework Help
Replies
1
Views
3K
Titration error affecting the PH of the endpoint
    • Biology and Chemistry Homework Help
Replies
23
Views
4K
What is the percentage of Fool's Gold in the original sample?
    • Biology and Chemistry Homework Help
Replies
10
Views
2K
(split) Remove an Aluminum Tube
    • Chemistry
Replies
6
Views
2K
How Can You Accurately Separate and Quantify Components in a Mixed Sample Lab?
    • Biology and Chemistry Homework Help
Replies
1
Views
3K

Hot Threads

Recent Insights

Back
Top