Chemistry Investigation on Neutralisation Reaction

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Chemistry Investigation on Neutralisation Reaction

Plan

Neutralisation is the reaction that occurs when an acid has its

acidity, that is its hydrogen ions removed by, another chemical

containing OH- hydroxide ions. Chemicals that can cancel out an acid

in this way are: bases (metal oxides or hydroxides), alkalis (bases

that dissolve), metals (e.g. magnesium) or metal carbonates (e.g.

marble chips) All of these have a similar way of removing the hydrogen

from the acids (they swap it or their metal atoms) but the reactions

are quite different. They will all get quite hot if the acid is strong

enough, but only the last two will make bubbles. Metals form hydrogen

gas, carbonates make carbon dioxide. All of them will leave a neutral

chemical after the reaction has finished, if all the acid has been

used up.

Titration is a technique used to calculate the concentrations or

amounts of substances. In an acid base titration you may have an acid

that you don't know the concentration of, and a base whose

concentration you do know.

The technique is to measure out accurately a volume of the alkali of

unknown concentration into a flask, and fill up a burette with the

acid. Add some indicator solution to the acid in the flask, so that

when all the acid has reacted with the base, there will be a colour

change. The burette is graduated. You then open the tap on the burette

and let the acid run into the flask. Once all the acid has reacted

with the base, you get a colour change and you turn off the tap. You

can now read off the volume of base you've added. From this you can

workout the concentration of the acid.

As I know all the concentrations of the acids and alkalis given I can

do another experiment, which is to measure the heat of neutralisation

otherwise known as the enthalpy of neutralisation.

Enthalpy is the measure of energy usually heat energy that a substance

has. You can't measure enthalpy directly, but you can measure the

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