Gravimetric Determination vs. Electric Titration

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Comprehensive Comparison of Gravimetric Technique and Conductimetric Titration | | | Frank Liao | | Keywords: gravimetric determination, conductimetric titration, precipitate, barium, comparison This lab serves to determine which method, of gravimetric determination and conductimetric titration, is better at determining the unknown molarity of barium ion in a solution. In this experiment, a solution of Ba(OH)2 with unknown molarity was titrated with 0.1 M H2SO4 while monitoring the conductivity. The data was used to determine the molarity of the Ba(OH)2. Then, the precipitate made in during the titration was used to gravimetrically determine the unknown molarity of the Ba(OH)2 solution. Both processes were consistent, for the molarities calculated in the trials of each method were within five percent of each other. Both processes were found to be consistent and precise. After careful analysis of results and error, gravimetric determination is found to be the most accurate method. Introduction Barium Salts are present in many products such as rat poison, pyrotechnics, and paper brightener. They are also used as thickeners to increases density in things such as cement, ceramic glazes bricks, and drilling fluids. Barium slats are used in cloud seeding as well. Barium cloud seeding was used to bound electronic signals off the base of clouds. Too much barium can be a problem. Barium is toxic to humans and animals and causes a dramatic drop in potassium levels in the body. For this reason (and others), barium is found to considerably increase the frequency of heart attacks in persons 65 years and older. Not only are barium salts in our water and in the air vapor, salts such as barium chloride commonly contaminate flour and find their way into our food supply. There have been many recorded incidents of this happening before. The poisoned

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