Students Name

Date

Solution stoichiometry

Aim

The purpose of the experiment was to find the concentration of iron (III) ions in a solution of

iron (II) nitrate. This was achieved by titrating the solution with a solution of potassium

dichromate of known concentration. This was an oxidation-reduction reaction which was given

by the following net ionic equation. The reaction took place in acidic solution and the indicator

for the reaction was barium diphenylaminesulfonate.

6Fe2+ + 14H+ + Cr2O72- --------> 6Fe3+ + 2Cr3+ + 7H2O

Introduction

In this experiment, we made of the fact that a balanced chemical equation specifies the mole

ratio of reactants and products involved in a chemical reaction. The reactants in this experiment

were aqueous solutions and we applied the principle of stoichiometry to solutions. It was noted

that one mole of dichromate required 6moles of iron (II) for complete reaction as shown in the

above net ionic equation.

Theory

A solution is most simply thought of as a homogenous mixture of two or more substances. For

the solutions of solid dissolved in liquid that we will be considering, the solid is called the solute

and the liquid is called the solvent. The relative quantity of the components present in the
solution is called its concentration. Concentrations may be expressed in any of several sets of

input, for example, weight percentages or mole fractions. The units that are most frequently used

and the ones that we will find most useful in this experiment are molarity units. The molarity of a

solution specifies the number of moles of solute per volume of solution.

Molarity = Number of moles of solute/number of liters of solution

Molarity is abbreviated as capital M.

The molarity of a solution is defined in terms of the number of solute per litre of solution and not

per liter of solvent. To make one liter of 1.0M of sodium chloride solution, for example, 1.0mole

of sodium chloride would be placed into a volumetric flask, the enough water added to bring the

total volume of the solution to one liter.

In preparing solutions, it is not possible to measure the number of moles of solute directly. The

number of moles of a substance may be related to its mass if the molar mass is known. For

example, to prepare 150ml of 0.12M sodium chloride, we first determine the number of moles of

the solute needed in the desired solution as shown below:

0.12 moles NaCl

0.15 liters of solution x =0.018 moles NaCl
liters solution

Then find the mass of this quantity of NaCl:

58.5 g NaCl
0.018 moles NaCl x =1.1 g NaCl
mole NaCl

The desired solution would be prepared by placing 1.1 g of NaCl into a volumetric flask, then

adding water to make a total volume of 150ml.

It is possible to make a solution to a desired concentration by using titration method and using

the concentration of another known solution in out titration. In titration, the volumes of the two

reactant solutions are carefully measured. With the volumes of the reactants and the

concentration of one of the solutions known, we can use stoichiometry to determine the

concentration of the other solution.

For example, suppose that 50 ml of 0.125M NaCl solution reacts with exactly 33 ml of Pb(CO 3)2

solution. The concentration of the Pb(CO3)2 can be obtained using the following method which

first involves balancing the chemical equation for the reaction.

Pb(CO3)2 + 2NaCl -------- > PbCl2 + 2NaNO3

In 50ml of 0.125M solution of NaCl is

0.05L x 0.125M = 0.00625 moles of NaCl

From the equation above, the mole ration of reaction of Pb(CO 3)2 to NaCl is 1:2, therefore, the

number of moles of Pb(CO3)2 reacted is 0.00625x1/2 = 0.003125 moles of Pb(CO3)2

The concentration of the Pb(CO3)2 solution is thus given by:

0.003125molesx1/0.033L = 0.0945M Pb(CO3)2

Procedure

This experiment was carried out with cautious measures taken. This was because potassium

dichromate is a strong oxidizing agent and it could burn or stain the skin.

The equipment used in this experiment included:

1 250-ml volumetric flask

1 burette

1 10-ml volumetric pipette

1 pipette pump or pipette bulb

An unknown sample was obtained that was to be used in the titration to determine its

concentration. The concentration of the potassium dichromate was noted and the solution

prepared to be used in this experiment. The quantity of the dichromate needed to prepare 250ml

of a solution of the molarity specified on the unknown sample.

A weighing boat was weighed on an analytical balance to 0.0001 gram. The weighing boat was

recorded. The solid potassium dichromate that was calculated above was added to the weighing

boat and its mass recorded. The solid was then transferred to a 250ml volumetric flask. The

weighing boat was then rinsed into the flask with DI water. About 50ml to 75ml of deionized

water was added to dissolve the solid sample. Water was then added to the mark on the

volumetric flask.

The burette was then cleaned thoroughly. To do so, the burette was rinsed with water, then

cleaned with soap solution and rinsed three times with tap water. It was then cleaned three times

with deionized water and after draining the deionized rinse water from the burette, the burette

was rinsed with three 10ml portions of the dichromate solution from the previous procedure.

This was done by holding the burette in an horizontal position and rolling the solution around to

wet the entire inner surface.

The burette was then clamped in place. The burette was filled with the dichromate solution. The

stopcock was then momentarily opened to allow the solution to flush out on any air bubbles from

the tip. The expelled solution was the collected in a beaker to be disposed in the container

labeled strong oxidizer waste.

The 10ml volumetric transfer pipette was cleaned. This was done by drawing enough soap into

the pipette using the provided device. The pipette was then shaken in a horizontal position to wet

the entire inner surface.

Using the cleaned pipette and a suction device provided, the unknown solution was drawn into

the pipette until it rose about 5 centimeters above the calibration mark on the stem. The solution

was carefully let out of the pipette until it was at level with the calibration mark. The pipette was

the emptied into a clean 250ml Erlenmeyer flask. Approximately 30ml of the hydrochloric acid-

phosphoric acid mixture was added. Ten drops of barium diphenylaminesulfonate indicator were

added and mixed thoroughly.

The initial burette reading was recorded. Potassium dichromate was then added from the burette

until the colour changed from green to purple. The flask was swirled thoroughly in order to

uniformly mix the contents in it. When the violet colour persisted, the titration was then stopped.

The final burette reading was then recorded.

The titration was repeated for two more times each time refilling the burette with the dichromate

solution.

Data

From the above experiment, the data obtained was recorded as shown below:
 With Dichromate 2.208 Unknown
Titration 1 2.391 477.42
Titration 2 2.113 367.49
Titration 3 2.121 422.24
Average Titer 2.208 422.38
% 8.24 33.6

Calculations and discussion

0.0083x(T1)x10^-3(6)(1/0.01)

= 0.0083x(2.391)x10^-3(6)(1/0.01)

=0.0119

0.0083x(T2)x10^-3(6)(1/0.01)

=0.0083x(2.113)x10^-3(6)(1/0.01)

= 0.0105

0.0083x(T3)x10^-3(6)(1/0.01)

= 0.0083x(2.121)x10^-3(6)(1/0.01)

= 0.0106

Using dichromate 2.208g

1. Moles of dichromate = 2.208/294 = 0.00751 moles of K2Cr2O7

Molarity of the dichromate is thus = 0.00751/0.250 = 0.03M

2. Vol = (2.391+2.113+2.121)/3 = 2.208 ml

 3. Moles of dichromate used = (2.208 x 0.03)/1000 =0.0000662 moles

4. Mole ration of reaction between iron (II) and dichromate (VI) is 6:1

Moles of iron (II) used in the reaction is = 0.0000662 x 6/1 =0.000397 moles

5. Molarity of Iron (II) = 0.000397 x 1000/10 =0.0397 M

6. Average = 2.208

7. % deviation = 8.24%

Using unknown solution 423.38g

0.0083x(T1)x10^-3(6)(1/0.01)

= 0.0083x(477.42)x10^-3(6)(1/0.01)

= 2.3776

0.0083x(T2)x10^-3(6)(1/0.01)

= 0.0083x(367.49)x10^-3(6)(1/0.01)

= 1.8301

0.0083x(T3)x10^-3(6)(1/0.01)

= 0.0083x(422.24)x10^-3(6)(1/0.01)

=2.1028

1. Moles of dichromate = 423.38/294 = 1.44 moles

Molarity of dichromate = 1.44/0.250 = 5.76M

2. Vol = (477.42+367.49+422.24)/3 = 422.38 ml

 3. Moles of dichromate used = (422.38 x 5.76)/1000 =2.433 moles

4. Mole ratio of reaction is 6:1

Moles of Iron (II) used = 2.433 x 6/1 = 14.597 moles

5. Molarity of iron (II) = 14.597 x 1000/10 = 1459.7M

6. Average = (477.42+367.49+422.24)/3 = 422.38

7. % deviation = 33.6%

The results obtained using potassium dichromate (VI) had a high precision. This is clearly seen

in the small deviation of 8.24% from the data values obtained.

The errors in this experiment may have occurred due to incorrect reading of the volumes if the

titers and also during pipetting of the unknown solution. Errors in calculations may also bring a

deviation of the final answer from the correct one.

Conclusion

From the above experiment, the concentration of Fe 2+ in a solution of Iron (II) Nitrate was found

to be 0.0397M. This was obtained from titrating it with 0.03M of potassium dichromate (VI).

The green colour of the Iron (II) ions changed to brown colour because of its oxidation to Iron

(III) ions. The orange dichromate (VI) turned its colour to orange due to its reduction to

chromium ions. This therefore was an oxidation-reduction reaction that was used to determine

the concentration of the iron (II) ions.