What are the four steps required to solve for the concentration of an unknown acid using the results of a basic titration?

1 Answer
May 17, 2018

Typically, you make an acid solution from the solid placed into a volumetric flask, with a known acid mass and a known flask volume.

The concentration of the strong base is known (at least somewhat)---call it #["B"]#---and the volume transferred for the titration is known---call it #V_B#.

Call the acid #A# and the mols of the acid #n_A#... and the mass of acid #m_A#...

#1)# #"H"_n"A"(aq) + n"OH"^(-)(aq) -> "A"^(n-)(aq) + n"H"_2"O"(l)#

#-># Write the reaction including the coefficients to find the mol ratio.

#2)# #n_B = ["B"] xx V_B#

#-># Get mols of strong base involved.

#3)# #n_A = n_B xx "mols acid"/"mols base"#

#-># Get mols of acid reacted from the mol ratio in the reaction.

#4)# #["A"] = n_A/V_A#

#-># Get the concentration for the acid.

CHALLENGE: If you know the mols of the acid in the titrated sample, what further steps would you do to determine an equivalent molar mass for the acid?