Calculating Thermodynamic Values from an Equilibrium Constant

Background

As discussed in lecture, the free energy for a reaction can be related to the equilibrium
constant through the formula below.
K = e (-ΔG° / RT)
Therefore if Kc for a reaction is known, Go can be determined, or vice versa. Furthermore, if
you have the value for Go at two different temperatures, you can calculate H and S through
the familiar equation for Gibbs energy below, since you have two unknowns but also two
equations.
G = H – T S
In this lab you will be studying the solubility of borax (Na2B4O5(OH)4*8H2O), a slightly soluble
sodium salt, at two different temperatures. When solid borax is added to water, the equilibrium
below is established.
Na2B4O5(OH)4*8H2O (s) 2 Na+ (aq) + B4O5(OH)42- (aq) + 8 H2O(l)

If you measure the concentrations for those substances that show up in the reaction quotient, then
the Kc for the reaction at that temperature can be calculated. In this lab, the concentration of
borate ion (B4O5(OH)42-) in solution will be measured by titration with standard hydrochloric
acid according to the equation below.
B4O5(OH)42- (aq) + 2 HCl (aq) + 3 H2O (l)  4 H3BO3 (aq) + 2 Cl- (aq)
The concentrations of the other substances that appear in the reaction quotient can be calculated
from the borate concentration using stoichiometry.

Procedure

Preparation of The Borax-Borate Equilibrium Mixtures

NOTE: Volumetric procedures are not required for this step.
Prepare two separate 250 mL Erlenmeyer flask with magnetic stirring bars and add about 5 g of
borax and 100 mL of deionized water to each. Designate one flask as the room temperature
system and the other as the ice-water system. Prepare the ice-water system first, since it will take
more time to equilibrate.
Prepare an ice-water bath in a 1000 mL beaker. Place an Erlenmeyer flask containing borax
solution in the ice bath and stir the mixture gently on a magnetic stirrer for at least 20 minutes.
Shut off the stirrer, place a thermometer in the flask, and allow the undissolved borax to settle to
the bottom. Do not remove it from the ice bath! The temperature should be close to 5C and the
solution should become clear as the solid borax settles. Be sure to record the temperature of the
solution.
While the ice-water system is settling, stir the room temperature mixture gently on a magnetic
stirrer for at least 10 minutes. Shut off the stirrer, place a thermometer in the flask and leave it
undisturbed to allow the excess undissolved borax to settle to the bottom. The solution portion
should become clear as the solid borax settles. Be sure to record the temperature of the solution.
Measuring the Ksp of Borax at Room Temperature
Record the temperature of the room temperature borax mixture. Without disturbing the solid at
the bottom, carefully decant about 60 mL of the borate solution into a clean and dry beaker.
Accurately pipet three 10.00 mL aliquots of borax solution into three separate clean Erlenmeyer
flasks. Add approximately 20 mL of distilled water and 3 drops of bromothymol blue indicator to
each flask. The solution should turn blue. Titrate each sample with standardized hydrochloric
acid until the solution changes from blue to yellow-green. Be sure to record the molarity of the
HCl solution. Use your best two titrations to evaluate the Ksp of borax at room temperature.
Measuring the Ksp of Borax at Ice Temperature
Repeat the procedure above for the borax solution at ice temperature. (After the decanting is
complete, it is okay if the decanted solution warms up.)

Questions to consider:
Think about the procedure you just read. Do you understand the concepts involved and
why the procedure works? If the amount of HCl needed for the room temperature samples is
larger than the amount needed for the ice bath samples, what does that mean about the
temperature dependence of Kc? What does that indicate about the temperature dependence of
ΔGo? What does that indicate about the signs of ΔH or ΔS? Can you make any predictions
about the sign of ΔH or ΔS, based on the reaction we are studying?

Report:
Type up your report using the template posted in Blackboard. It will be submitted
through the appropriate Turnitin link in Blackboard; it is due one week from the day of lab, thirty
minutes before the start of class.
Even though you performed the lab with a partner, remember that the lab report must
represent your own work. If two people submit labs with sections that are very similar, that is
plagiarism and will result, at minimum, in both people receiving a zero for that lab.