We started the day by learning about how acids and bases work and the difference between the two. We then tested the products that we had brought in to see the pH and if they were an acid or a base. We used three different methods of testing: strips, the universal indicator, and phenolphthalein (PPN). If it turned a warmer color, it was an acid, and if it was a blueish greenish color, it would have been a base.
For this second lab, students were required to prepare a solution of sodium hydroxide, also known as NaOH. The lab would then be done by students adding water into three flasks with at least .10g of NaOH and then adding another mixture of water and liquid NaOH into a buret. After completing these steps, the goal for the students was to turn the diluted solution into a vibrant pink color.
For this third lab, students were required to find the concentration of acetic acid (HC2H302) in various vinegars. The lab would be done by students by mixing 3 mLs of vinegar, 50 mLs of distilled water, and 2 drops of PPN in two separate Erlenmeyer Flasks. Then they slowly added Sodium Hydroxide (NaOH) to the solution until the equivalence point was reached, in which the solution stopped reverting back to its original clear opacity and there was no more acid for the alkaline, which being Sodium Hydroxide, had no more acid to neutralize.
