Abstract:

The purpose of this lab is to determine how conductometry can help obtain the concentration of Ba(OH)2 solution. This purpose will be explored by performing a titration. Unlike previous labs, the equivalence point in this lab will be found by oserving the concentration. Solutions conduct electricity when ions are present and therefore the conductivity is higher when the ion concentration is higher. By adding a strong electrolyte to another strong electrolyte, a precipitate, or a non-conductiong molecule, forms. Due to this, the ion concentration and conductivity both decrease. The ion concentration keeps decreasing while the second electrolyte is continuously added until the equivalence point is reached. At this point, the two electrolytes are combined in their stoichiometric ratio. Once the equivalence point is passed, the conductivity will again increase. This means that conductivity is lowest at the equilibrium point. Specifically in this lab, barium hydroxide is being titrated with sulfuric acid. Measuring the conductivity while the barium hydroxide is added allows us to determine the equivalence point and therefore calculate the concentration of it.