CHIMICA ANALITICA A - L
Academic Year 2025/2026 - Teacher: SALVATORE BARRECAExpected Learning Outcomes
The student will acquire the ability to solve problems relating to real systems at equilibrium in an aqueous solution (Dublin Indicator 1). In particular, they must be able to determine the chemical composition of an aqueous solution in the presence of acid-base equilibria, precipitation, and/or complexation (Dublin indicator 2). They must also understand the main applications of these equilibria in volumetric analysis.
Applying knowledge and understanding:
Being able to determine the chemical composition of an aqueous solution in the presence of acid-base equilibria and/or precipitation and/or complexation
Making judgments: allowing the objective evaluation of the results also in relation to the quality of the analytical data.
Communication skills: developing and/or improving the ability to expose even complex scientific concepts by implementing the technical terminologies suitable for polymeric materials;
Learning skills: Apply analysis techniques to solve analytical chemistry problems.
Information for students with disabilities and/or DSA: To ensure equal opportunities and in compliance with current legislation, interested students may request a personal interview to plan any compensatory and/or dispensatory measures based on educational objectives and specific needs. You can also contact the CInAP (Centre for Active and Participatory Inclusion – Services for Disabilities and/or DSA) or the contact teacher in the relevant department.
Course Structure
Required Prerequisites
Attendance of Lessons
Detailed Course Content
Brønsted acid-base equilibria and titrations.
Solubility and precipitation equilibria and titrations.
-Complexation equilibria and titrations
Ionic strength and its influence on equilibrium constants.
Textbook Information
1. D.Harris: Fundamentals of Analytical Chemistry - Zanichelli
2. Holler Crouch: Fundamentals of Analytical Chemistry by Skoog and West- EDISES Editore
3. Notes provided by tprofessor and available on Studium
Course Planning
| Subjects | Text References | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chemical Equilibrium – Equilibrium Constant. Factors that influence the equilibrium constant: composition, solvent, temperature. Systematic treatment of ionic systems at equilibrium. Mass, charge and proton balances. | |
| 2 | Activity - Relationship between activity, concentration, activity coefficient and equilibrium expression. Thermodynamic constants and stoichiometric constants. Ionic strength. Correlation between ionic strength and activity coefficient: notes on the Debye-Huckel theory. | |
| 3 | Acid-base equilibria: Brønsted and Lewis theories. Strength of acids and bases. The ionic product of water and pH. Acidity and neutrality of aqueous solutions. Aqueous solutions of strong acids and strong bases. Rigorous treatment of equilibrium. Approximate treatment: criteria and limits of validity. Aqueous solutions of weak monoprotic acids.Degree of dissociation. Rigorous treatment of equilibrium. Approximate treatment: criteria and limits of validity. Aqueous solutions containing a conjugated acid-base pair. Rigorous treatment. Buffer solutions. Approximate treatment: criteria and limits of validity. Buffer capacity: definition, calculation and simple applications. Aqueous solutions of polyprotic acids and polyacid bases. Rigorous and approximate treatment. Expression of composition as a function of pH. Distribution diagrams. Ampholytes. Aqueous solutions containing conjugated pairs of polyprotic acids and polyacid bases. Rigorous and approximate treatment. Mixtures of non-conjugated acids and bases. | |
| 4 | Complexation equilibria - Thermodynamic formation constant. Conditional formation constant. Monodentate and polydentate ligands. Chelating effect. Treatment of complexation equilibria. Effect of pH on complexation equilibria. | |
| 5 | Precipitation equilibria - Ionic product, solubility and solubility product. Influence of ionic strength, temperature, solvent. Common ion effect. Simultaneous precipitation and selective precipitation. Effect of acid-base interactions on the solubility of salts formed by monovalent, divalent and trivalent cations and anions: Broensted acid-base interactions; Lewis acid-base interactions. | |
| 6 | Acid-base titrations - Volumetric methods: Concept of titration, equivalence point. Titration curve: rigorous and approximate treatment. Titration error. Acid-base indicators. Titration of strong acid-strong base and vice versa, weak acid-strong base, weak base-strong acid, polyprotic acid-strong base, polyacid base-strong acid. Titratability criteria. Titrations of mixtures of acids or bases. | |
| 7 | Precipitation titrations . Error of Titration . Titration of halides by the Mohr, Volhard and Fajans methods. Titration of halide mixtures. | |
| 8 | Complexometric titrations - EDTA titrations: direct and indirect titrations. Titration curve: rigorous and approximate treatment. Effect of the auxiliary complexing agent. Metallochromic indicators. Liebig titration. |
Learning Assessment
Learning Assessment Procedures
Prova scritta, che fungerà da ammissione al colloquio.
Interview will be based on topics of program.
Examples of frequently asked questions and / or exercises
Consideration about an aqueous solution of a weak monoprotic acid at various dilutions.
Consideration about an aqueous solution of a diprotic acid at various dilutions.
Consideration about an aqueous solution containing ampholyte.
Criteria for preparing a buffer solution.
Calculating pH during titration (e.g. titrating a weak acid with a strong base).
Choice of optimal conditions for metal titration with EDTA (minimum operating pH).
Qualitative and quantitative aspects of the factors that influence the solubility of a poorly soluble salt