Question

To a 25.00 mL volumetric flask, a lab technician adds a 0.150 g sample of a weak monoprotic acid, HA , and dilutes to the mark with distilled water. The technician then titrates this weak acid solution with 0.0969 M KOH . She reaches the endpoint after adding 43.81 mL of the KOH solution. Determine the number of moles of the weak acid in the solution.

Answer 1

Answer: The number of moles of weak acid is $4.24\times 10^{-3}$ moles.

Explanation:

To calculate the moles of KOH, we use the equation:

$\text{Molarity of the solution}=\frac{\text{Moles of solute}}\text{Volume of solution (in L)}}$

We are given:

Volume of solution = 43.81 mL = 0.04381 L      (Conversion factor: 1L = 1000 mL)

Molarity of the solution = 0.0969 moles/ L

Putting values in above equation, we get:

$0.0969mol/L=\frac{\text{Moles of KOH}}{0.04381}\\\\\text{Moles of KOH}=4.24\times 10^{-3}mol$

The chemical reaction of weak monoprotic acid and KOH follows the equation:

$HA+KOH\rightarrow KA+H_2O$

By Stoichiometry of the reaction:

1 mole of KOH reacts with 1 mole of weak monoprotic acid.

So, $4.24\times 10^{-3}mol$ of KOH will react with = $\frac{1}{1}\times 4.24\times 10^{-3}=4.24\times 10^{-3}mol$ of weak monoprotic acid.

Hence, the number of moles of weak acid is $4.24\times 10^{-3}$ moles.