Acidic Properties of CO2 in Aqueous Solutions

WARNING NOTICE The experiments described in these materials are potentially hazardous. Among other things, the experiments should include the following safety measures: a high level of safety training, special facilities and equipment, the use of proper personal protective equipment, and supervision by appropriate individuals. You bear the sole responsibility, liability, and risk for the implementation of such safety procedures and measures. MIT and Dow shall have no responsibility, liability, or risk for the content or implementation of any of the material presented. Acidic Properties of CO2 in Aqueous Solutions © Wendy Maeda/The Boston Globe. . Abstract A series of 2000 mL graduated cylinders are filled with colored solutions and several small pieces of solid dry ice (CO2) are gently added to the cylinders. Almost immediately the colors of the liquids begin to change, some slowly over a period of a few minutes, others more quickly, and some exhibiting several color changes one after the other. 1 Materials Solid Dry Ice 6- 2000 mL graduated cylinders 6- 1 L plastic storage bottles Bromothymol blue Ethanol Sodium Hydroxide Solution Insulated Gloves Dry Ice Container scooper for dry ice Universal Indicator Phenolphthalein 3',3"-dibromothymolsulfonephthalein 6 – 100 mL stock bottles Safety Solid dry ice sublimes at -78 0C. Contact with the bare skin causes frostbite. Always use insulated gloves and wear safety goggles when handling it. Special care should be taken in handling the indicators, which could be potentially very hazardous if ingested, and cause irritation if they contact the skin or are inhaled. Sodium hydroxide solution can cause burns and is also irritating to the skin, eyes and respiratory tract. Always work in a vented hood space and wear gloves and safety goggles when working with these materials. Procedure Preparation of Stock Solutions: Phenolphthalein indicator solution—prepare 100 mL of stock solution, dissolve 0.05g of phenolphthalein in 50 mL of ethanol and dilute the resulting solution to 100 mL with distilled water. Universal indicator solution—prepare 100 mL of stock solution, dissolve 0.0025 g thymol blue, 0.006 g methyl red, 0.030 g bromothymol blue, and 0.05 g phenolphthalein in 50 mL of ethanol and dilute the resulting solution to 100 mL with distilled water. You could also purchase directly from Sigma Aldrich as was done in this experiment: Product Number : 36828 Brand : Fluka Supplier : SigmaAldrich Bromothymol blue indicator solution—prepare 100 mL of stock solution, dissolve 0.04g of 3’,3”-dibromothymolsulfonephthalein in 6.4 mL of 0.01M sodium hydroxide and dilute the resulting solution to 100 mL with distilled water. 0.01M aqueous sodium hydroxide solution—prepare 1 Liter stock solution, mass out 0.40g of NaOH and dissolve in 500 mL of distilled water, and dilute the resulting mixture to 1.0 L with distilled water. 2 0.1M aqueous sodium hydroxide solution—prepare 1 Liter stock solution, mass out 4.0g of NaOH and dissolve in 500 mL of distilled water, and dilute the resulting mixture to 1.0 L with distilled water. Preparation of Cylinder Stock Solutions: Phenolphthalein indicator solution: Add 10.0 mL of the above stock solution to 500 mL of distilled water. Add 15 mL of 0.1M NaOH to produce a basic pH with a nice color. Dilute the resulting solution to 1 Liter with distilled water. When ready pour the entire 1L solution into one of the cylinders and fill to the 1600 mL mark with distilled water. (Two identical solutions were prepared for this experiment). Bromothymol blue indicator solution: Add 10.0 mL of the above stock solution to 500 mL of distilled water. Add 15.0 mL of 0.1M NaOH to produce a basic pH with a blue color. Dilute the resulting solution to 1 Liter with distilled water. When ready pour the entire 1 L solution into one of the cylinders and fill to the 1600 mL mark with distilled water. (Two identical solutions were prepared for this experiment) Fluka Universal Indicator solution: Add 10 mL of the above universal indicator stock solution to 500 mL of distilled water. Add 15 mL of 0.1M NaOH to produce a basic pH with a light purple color. Dilute the resulting solution to 1 Liter with distilled water. When ready pour the entire 1 L solution into one of the cylinders and fill to the 1600 mL mark with distilled water. (Two identical solutions were prepared for this experiment) Line all the 2000 mL graduated cylinders up on the counter and add a scoop of solid CO2 to each and observe the color changes. Discussion When CO2(s) is placed into solution we can see the bubbles from the production of CO2(g) during the sublimation process. The dissolved CO2(aq) reacts with water to produce carbonic acid H2CO3(aq). The following equilibrium results: H2O(l) + CO2(aq) -----> H2CO3(aq) <----The production of carbonic acid from CO2(aq) and H2O(l) is an equilibrium, which lies heavily to the left. In other words, the CO2 in solution exists primarily as CO2(aq) with a small amount of carbonic acid forming. The exact ratio at 25 0C has been 3 estimated to be around 600:1 (Trotman-Dickenson). Enough carbonic acid is formed to effectively change the pH from basic to acidic, affecting the dramatic color changes we see in the cylinders. Prior to finishing the preparation of the cylinder stock solutions we add 0.1M NaOH to all of the solutions to allow the pH of the solutions to become basic. When sodium hydroxide (NaOH) is dissolved in water it produces sodium and hydroxide ions: NaOH(aq) --------> Na+(aq) + OH-(aq) The indicators used undergo color changes at the pH values listed below: Indicator Phenolphthalein Bromothymol blue Universal Indicator Color Change Colorless to fuchsia Yellow to blue Red to Violet pH range 8.3 to 10.0 6.0 to 7.6 0 to 14 The color chart for Universal Indicator shows colors at pH values 1 to 14: Illustration courtesy of gcsescience.com. The colors in the Universal Indicator result from combinations of the indicator solutions that are mixed together. This is quite complex and covers a range of pH values. Upon adding the solid dry ice, the Universal indicator solution exhibits several color changes one after the other. It starts out purple then changes bluegreen, green, yellow, and finally orange-red. Overall this is a good demonstration, which allows us to see the CO2(g) in solution that we can’t see in the air. We see it as bubbles from the sublimation of CO2(s). Disposal 4 The solutions can be discarded by flushing down the drain with large amounts of water. Solid CO2 can be left to sublime in the hood or used to cool the traps in the laboratory rotary evaporators. References Shakhashiri, B. Z. Chemical Demonstrations: A Handbook for Teachers of Chemistry; University of Wisconsin: Madison, WI, 1985; Vol. 2, pp. 114-120 A. F. Trotman-Dickenson, Executive Ed., Comprehensive Inorganic Chemistry, Vol. 1, p. 1232, Pergamon Press: Oxford (1973). 5