How is the number of moles of NaOH affected at the equivalence point of the solution?
The number of moles of NaOH at the equivalence point of the solution can be determined using the stoichiometry of the balanced chemical equation for the reaction.
To understand how the number of moles of NaOH is affected at the equivalence point, we need to consider the reaction taking place. Typically, in acid-base titrations, NaOH is titrated against an acid, such as hydrochloric acid (HCl). The balanced equation for this reaction is:
NaOH + HCl → NaCl + H2O
From the balanced equation, we can see that one mole of NaOH reacts with one mole of HCl to produce one mole of NaCl and one mole of water.
At the equivalence point, the moles of NaOH added are stoichiometrically equivalent to the moles of HCl present in the solution. This means that all the HCl has reacted and been neutralized by the NaOH, forming NaCl and water. Therefore, at the equivalence point, the number of moles of NaOH is equal to the number of moles of HCl originally present in the solution.
In summary, at the equivalence point of an acid-base titration, the number of moles of NaOH is equal to the number of moles of HCl initially present in the solution.