1. Aim:
To determine the weight-to-volume percent of acetic acid present in commercial vinegar and the weight-to-volume percent of ammonia present in window cleaners. Acid-base titrations can be conducted using the above samples against standardized aqueous NaOH and standardized aqueous HCl solutions respectively.
2. Introduction:
Acetic acid, commonly known as ethanoic acid CH3COOH, is found in commercial vinegar. It is a weak organic acid that gives vinegar its characteristic pungent smell, sour taste and slight acidity. Being an acid, vinegar is used as a mild disinfectant in cleaning agents as well as a food preservative. Ammonia, NH3, is used in household and industrial cleaning agents due to its ability to solubilize grease. In this experiment, we shall use acid-base titration to determine the weight-to-volume percentage of acetic acid and ammonia. An acid-base titration is a process of obtaining quantitative information of a sample using an acid-base reaction by reacting with a certain volume of reactant whose concentration is known. A suitable indicator for determining the equivalence point is used to indicate the end point of an acid-base titration. To achieve accurate results, multiple titrations will be carried out until duplicate determinations agree to within 0.05mL of each other.