Question

If the concentration of NaOH used in today's lab was not standardized properly, and is actually higher. How would this error change your calculated Ka value? (Increase it, Decrease it, Unaffected) Briefly Explain

Answer 1

If the concentration of NaOH used in today's lab was not standardized properly, and is actually higher. How would this error change your calculated Ka value? (Increase it, Decrease it, Unaffected) Briefly Explain

First, let us assume this is:

weak acid titration, so we need NaOH ( strong base ) in order to neutralize this, reclacualte moles of acid via stoichiometry

If NaOH is not correctly standarized:

- If NaOH concentration if HIGHER than we measured --> concentration of acid will be higher than reality so

Ka = [H+][A-]/[HA]; then [HA] is lower than it is,

therefore, Ka will be higher calculated than it should be

- If NaOH concentration if LOWER than we measured --> concentration of acid will be lower than reality so

Ka = [H+][A-]/[HA]; then [HA] is higher than it is,

therefore, Ka will be lower calculated than it should be