Your discussion should be 2 pages, double spaced, 10-12 point font (minimum is 1 paragraph).
Your discussion should contain at least 2 paragraphs, one for the standardization of the NaOH and one for the
titration of the diprotic acid. You may choose to have one additional paragraph which either explains what you
will be writing, which summarizes what you wrote or which ties the 2 parts of the experiment together. Your
discussion for each part of the experiment should focus on explaining your results, interpreting your results
(remember, your graphs are part of your results!) and discussing whether they are reasonable (remember to use
context for example, literature values for any results you have calculated, if it is possible to find such values).
Observations should be used to interpret what is happening chemically. (For example, instead of stating, The
solution changed colour, or the solution turned pink (an observation), it is better to explain by stating, As more
base solution was added to the acid in the flask, the pH was increasing and so the pink colour, typical of base
solutions, remained for a longer period of time until the solution colour was homogeneously a pale pink that
remained for 30 seconds, indicating that the endpoint of the titration had been reached.
When writing your discussion, you should consider the following questions and make sure that your answer is
incorporated into your discussion seamlessly (in other words, please do not number your responses or put them
in separate paragraphs).
1. Why do you need to standardize the base? Do we only need to standardize the base if the base used is
NaOH? What is a primary standard? Can any acid be a primary standard? Why do we perform multiple
trials? What should you expect as the results of multiple trials? Is this what you observed? What do
your results tell you?
2. Why is a titration called an analytical technique (think of the type of glassware used, the accuracy of
the glassware and significant figures)? Is a titration an effective way to determine the concentration of
an unknown acid? The identity of an unknown acid? Why? Does the addition of water to the flask
(when you rinse down the sides during the titration) affect the final result? Explain your answer. Does
the choice of indicator matter if you are using a pH meter? Which way of measuring the pH is best: pH
paper, indicator or a pH meter? Explain your answer. Why do we use more than one method in this lab?
Explain your answer. How close were your K values to those of the acid you chose as your unknown.
Do you find this proximity to be reasonable? Explain your answer.
3. How are the two parts of the lab related?
I have included all my data, calculations, graphs, and the lab procedure in the uploaded files.