In: Chemistry
3. Plot a schematic titration curve for acetic acid with NaOH. Superimpose the titration curve of HCl on this graph. What are the main differences? How can we determine the pKa of acetic acid from its titration curve?
As we can see from the schematic diagram, for acetic acid, the change in pH is gradual near the buffer region, This is because in this buffer region, it resists the change in pH when NaOH is added.
But for HCl, there is no such buffer region and keeps on increasing until it reaches the equivalence point. At equivalence point, there is a sudden increase in pH.
After the equivalence point, when more of NaOH is added, then we see that pH increase is more for HCl.
This is becase in case of acetic acid, the following backward reaction also occurs:
CH3COO- + H2O ---> CH3COOH + OH-
So this causes the pH to be slightly less.