Titration Calculations (Oxford AQA IGCSE Combined Science Double Award)

Revision Note

Titration Calculations

  • Once a titration is completed and the average titre has been calculated

    • You can calculate the unknown variable using the formula triangle as shown below

Concentration moles formula triangle
Formula triangle showing the relationship between concentration, number of moles and volume of liquid

Worked Example

A solution of 25.0 cm3 of hydrochloric acid was titrated against a solution of 0.100 mol/dm3 NaOH. 

12.1 cmof NaOH was required for a complete reaction.

Determine the concentration of the acid.

Answer:

Step 1: Write the equation for the reaction:

HCl (aq) + NaOH (aq) → NaCl (aq) + H2O (l)

Step 2: Calculate the number of moles of the NaOH

  • Moles = (volume over 1000) x concentration

  • Moles of NaOH = 0.012 dm3 x 0.100 mol/dm= 1.21 x 10–3 mol

Step 3: Deduce the number of moles of the acid

  • Since the acid reacts in a 1:1 ratio with the alkali,  the number of moles of HCl is also 1.21 x 10–3 mol

  • This is present in 25.0 cm3 of the solution (25.0 cm3 = 0.025 dm3)

Step 4: Find the concentration of the acid

  • Concentration = fraction numerator moles over denominator volume space open parentheses dm cubed close parentheses end fraction 

  • Concentration of HCl = fraction numerator 1.21 space cross times space 10 to the power of negative 3 end exponent space mol over denominator 0.025 space dm cubed end fraction= 0.0484 mol/dm3

Worked Example

Calculating concentration

25.00 cmof 0.15 mol/dm3 barium hydroxide, Ba(OH)2, was required to neutralise 12.80 cm3 of nitric acid, HNO3 , during a titration. Calculate the concentration of HNO3 that was used. Give your answer to 2 decimal places.

Ba(OH)2 (aq) + 2HNO3 (aq) → Ba(NO3)2 (aq) + 2H2O (l)

Answer:

Step 1: Calculate the number of moles of barium hydroxide 

  • Moles of barium hydroxide = concentration x volume (dm3) = 0.15 x 0.025 = 3.75 x 10–3 mols

Step 2: Using the equation, calculate the number of moles of nitric acid 

  • Moles of nitric acid = 3.75 x 10–3 x 2 = 7.5 x 10-3

  • The number of moles must be multiplied by 2 due to the 1:2 ratio

Step 3: Calculate the concentration of nitric acid

  • Concentration of nitric acid = fraction numerator 7.5 space cross times 10 to the power of negative 3 end exponent over denominator 0.0128 end fraction= 0.59 mol/dm3 to 2 dp

Remember to convert cm3 to dm3 by dividing by 1000 

Worked Example

Calculating the volume

Calculate the volume of 0.50 mol/dm3 nitric acid, HNO3, required to neutralise 25.00 cm3 of 0.80 mol/dm3 potassium hydroxide, KOH. Give your answer in cm3.

KOH (aq) + HNO3 (aq) → KNO3 (aq) + H2O (l)

Answer:

Step 1: Calculate the number of moles of potassium hydroxide

  • Moles of potassium hydroxide = concentration x volume (dm3) = 0.80 x 0.025 = 0.02 mols

Step 2: Using the equation, calculate the number of moles of nitric acid 

  • Moles of nitric acid = 0.02 mols

  • The ratio is 1:1 so the number of moles of nitric acid is the same

Step 3: Calculate the volume of nitric acid in cm

  • Volume of nitric acid =moles over concentrationfraction numerator 0.02 over denominator 0.50 end fraction = 0.040 dm3

  • Volume of nitric acid = 40 cm3 

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