/*! This file is auto-generated */ .wp-block-button__link{color:#fff;background-color:#32373c;border-radius:9999px;box-shadow:none;text-decoration:none;padding:calc(.667em + 2px) calc(1.333em + 2px);font-size:1.125em}.wp-block-file__button{background:#32373c;color:#fff;text-decoration:none} Problem 12 You are titrating an acidic solu... [FREE SOLUTION] | 91Ó°ÊÓ

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You are titrating an acidic solution with a basic one, and just realized you forgot to add the indicator that tells you when the equivalence point is reached. In this titration, the indicator turns blue at the equivalence point from an initially colorless solution. You quickly grab a bottle of indicator and add some to your titration beaker, and the whole solution turns dark blue. What do you do now?

Short Answer

Expert verified
Restart the titration with a new acidic sample, adding the indicator first.

Step by step solution

01

Understanding the Situation

You are conducting a titration to find the equivalence point, where the amount of acid equals the amount of base. Normally, the indicator changes color at this point to signal you've reached it.
02

Identify the Problem

Since the added indicator has turned the whole solution dark blue immediately, you have passed the equivalence point. This means that the solution is already basic.
03

Interpret the Indicator's Color Change

The dark blue color indicates that the solution has excess base because the indicator shows blue when the solution is basic. This means you've added too much of the base to the acidic solution.
04

Corrective Actions

To fix this, you need to start the titration process over with a new sample of the acidic solution. This time, make sure to add the indicator before starting to add the base.

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Key Concepts

These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.

Equivalence Point
In a titration experiment, the equivalence point is a crucial stage where the amount of titrant added perfectly reacts with the substance being titrated. Imagine it as a balancing act—this is the point where the moles of hydrogen ions ( H^+ ) from the acid match exactly with the moles of hydroxide ions ( OH^- ) from the base. This match results in a neutral solution, typically signaled through an observable change in properties, and it is significant because it indicates the completion of the chemical reaction.

Reaching the equivalence point with accuracy is vital in quantitative chemical analysis, often used to ascertain unknown concentrations in a solution. Awareness of this concept helps in understanding how reactions reach completion and in calculating the concentration of reactants in a solution.
Color Change
A color change in titration is a visual cue that signals a significant change in the solution's properties, often correlating with reaching the equivalence point. The reason behind this phenomenon involves the use of indicators—special chemicals added to the solution to enhance visibility of changes.

Indicators, such as phenolphthalein or bromothymol blue, are chosen based on their property to undergo a distinct visible color change at a particular pH range. As seen in the exercise, the solution turns dark blue, indicating a shift from acidic or neutral to basic conditions.
  • Before the equivalence point, the solution might remain colorless.
  • At the equivalence point or slightly beyond, it turns blue.
  • If too much base is added, the hue intensifies, showing excess base.
Understanding these color transitions enhances accuracy in titrations and emphasizes the importance of carefully monitoring and adding titrants incrementally.
Acid-Base Reaction
Acid-base reactions are fundamental chemical processes involving the transfer of protons between substances. In titration specifically, an acid-base reaction signifies the interaction where an acidic solution reacts with a basic titrant gradually.

This reaction, known as neutralization, results in the formation of water (H2O) and a salt. Monitoring this conversion is essential in titrations, as it helps determine the unknown concentrations of acidic or basic solutions, a method widely applied in various scientific fields like chemistry and biology.

The reaction can generally be written as follows:\[\text{Acid} + \text{Base} \rightarrow \text{Salt} + \text{Water}\]When performing acid-base titrations:
  • This reaction underscores the importance of gradual titrant addition.
  • Indicators are used to reflect the resulting shifts in acidity or basicity.
  • The amount and rate of titrant addition can drastically impact the outcome.
Understanding acid-base reactions gives insight into both the practical aspects of titration and the chemical fundamentals at play.

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Most popular questions from this chapter

True or false: (a) If a substance is oxidized, there must be more oxygen in the substance. (b) If a substance is oxidized, it must lose at least one electron and form an anion.

(a) How many grams of ethanol, \(\mathrm{CH}_{3} \mathrm{CH}_{2} \mathrm{OH},\) should you dissolve in water to make \(1.00 \mathrm{~L}\) of vodka (which is an aqueous solution that is \(6.86 \mathrm{M}\) ethanol)? (b) Using the density of ethanol \((0.789 \mathrm{~g} / \mathrm{mL})\), calculate the volume of ethanol you need to make \(1.00 \mathrm{~L}\) of vodka.

An \(8.65-g\) sample of an unknown group 2 metal hydroxide is dissolved in \(85.0 \mathrm{~mL}\) of water. An acid-base indicator is added and the resulting solution is titrated with \(2.50 \mathrm{M}\) \(\mathrm{HCl}(a q)\) solution. The indicator changes color, signaling that the equivalence point has been reached, after \(56.9 \mathrm{~mL}\) of the hydrochloric acid solution has been added. (a) What is the molar mass of the metal hydroxide? (b) What is the identity of the metal cation: \(\mathrm{Ca}^{2+}, \mathrm{Sr}^{2+}\), or \(\mathrm{Ba}^{2+}\) ?

The commercial production of nitric acid involves the following chemical reactions: $$ \begin{aligned} 4 \mathrm{NH}_{3}(g)+5 \mathrm{O}_{2}(g) & \longrightarrow 4 \mathrm{NO}(g)+6 \mathrm{H}_{2} \mathrm{O}(g) \\ 2 \mathrm{NO}(g)+\mathrm{O}_{2}(g) & \longrightarrow 2 \mathrm{NO}_{2}(g) \\ 3 \mathrm{NO}_{2}(g)+\mathrm{H}_{2} \mathrm{O}(l) & \longrightarrow 2 \mathrm{HNO}_{3}(a q)+\mathrm{NO}(g) \end{aligned} $$(a) Which of these reactions are redox reactions? (b) In each redox reaction identify the element undergoing oxidation and the element undergoing reduction. (c) How many grams of ammonia must you start with to make \(1000.0 \mathrm{~L}\) of a \(0.150 \mathrm{M}\) aqueous solution of nitric acid? Assume all the reactions give \(100 \%\) yield.

We have learned in this chapter that many ionic solids dissolve in water as strong electrolytes; that is, as separated ions in solution. Which statement is most correct about this process? (a) Water is a strong acid and therefore is good at dissolving ionic solids. (b) Water is good at solvating ions because the hydrogen and oxygen atoms in water molecules bear partial charges. (c) The hydrogen and oxygen bonds of water are easily broken by ionic solids.

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