1)What could have caused the impurity in the sodium hydroxide solution?
2)Why was it necessary to dilute the hydrochloric acid before carrying out the titration?
This was a question from a titration practical in which we had to dilute HCL then use that along with 25cm3 of NaOH to find out the %purity of NaOh
or rather were questions
1) There are several factors that could have caused impurities in the sodium hydroxide solution. Here are a few possible causes:
a) Contaminated equipment: If the equipment used to prepare or store the sodium hydroxide solution was not properly cleaned, it could introduce impurities into the solution.
b) Presence of other substances: Sodium hydroxide can react with various substances present in the environment, such as carbon dioxide from the air or impurities in the water used to prepare the solution. These reactions can lead to the formation of impurities.
c) Poor quality chemicals: If the sodium hydroxide used was not of high purity, it may already contain impurities. This can happen due to manufacturing processes or storage conditions.
To determine the exact cause of impurities in your specific sodium hydroxide solution, it is important to consider the quality of the equipment and chemicals used, as well as the working environment.
2) Diluting the hydrochloric acid before carrying out the titration was necessary for a few reasons:
a) Safety: Hydrochloric acid is a strong acid and can cause harm if handled improperly. By diluting it, you reduce the concentration and the potential hazards associated with working with concentrated acid.
b) Easier measurement: Diluting the hydrochloric acid makes it easier to measure accurately. This is important because precise volume measurements are crucial in titration experiments to obtain accurate results.
c) Reaction kinetics: Dilution of the acid can also control the rate of the reaction during the titration. If the acid is too concentrated, the reaction may proceed too quickly, making it difficult to determine the endpoint accurately.
By diluting the hydrochloric acid, you ensure safety, improve measurement accuracy, and control the reaction kinetics, allowing you to obtain reliable results.