Determining the percentage of sodium carbonate in a sample of washing soda crystals
Aim
The purpose of the experiment carried out was to determine the percentage of sodium carbonate (Na2CO3) in a known amount of washing soda crystal, using the titration technique.
Acids & Bases
Water is the most common acid and base found on earth. An acid is anything that can donate a proton/H+ and a base is anything that can accept a proton/H+ – Bronsted-Lowry. Water being able to both accept and donate a proton/H+ is both an acid and base. H-Cl (aq)+H2O Cl- + H3O+ this equation shows hydrochloric acid in an aqueous solution reacting with water to form chlorine and hydronium. Here water is acting as a base as it accepts a proton from the
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acids are elements or compounds that release hydrogen (H+) ions
NHO3(aq) + H2O (l) H3O+ + NO3-(aq)
This reaction shows nitric acid dissociating into hydrogen and nitrate ions when it is dissolved in water.
Bases are compounds or elements that release hydrogen ions into the solution.
LiOH(s) H2O Li+(aq) + OH-(aq)
Here we see lithium hydroxide dissociating into lithium and hydroxide ions when dissolved in water. (Chemistry LibreTexts,
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Washing soda crystals were carefully poured into a 250ml volumetric flask and dissolved in water up to the 250ml mark. The burette was cleaned and lowered to a safe height, then using the funnel 5ml sulphuric acid was poured into the burette to rinse in this step was repeated twice. Using the pipette 25ml of the washing soda solution was transferred into a conical flask. Then 2 drops of methyl orange indicator was added to the conical flask and mixed carefully, the colour of the solution was noted. Then the burette was filled to the top of its scale with 0.05M Sulphuric acid. Slowly sulphuric acid is released into the conical flask meanwhile a laboratory partner swirls the flask as another controls the stopcock, the white tile was used to observe colour change. The point at which the colour changed became the endpoint. The first titre is the rough titre. The titre was repeated 3 more times for accuracy and the final volume reading on the burette was used to calculate each