Question

Consider the following scenario

You are the manager of a chemical stockroom, and find a bottle containing approximately one liter of a clear and colorless solution of unknown identity and concentration. Your only clue to its identity is that it was found between bottles of silver fluoride and sodium fluoride, so it is likely an aqueous solution of one of those two compounds. You will need to develop a procedure to determine the following:
a) The identity of the unknown solution
b) The concentration of the unknown solution
Write out a precise procedure, which includes all glassware, reagents, and steps. You will also need to write the calculations that you would need to determine the concentration of the solution. Assume that you have access to all of the equipment that you used in the chemistry lab this semester and any reagent you might need. To complete this assignment, consider both the techniques learned in lab and the information learned in lecture.

Answer 1

See explaination

Step-by-step explanation:

Going by the clues that it is between Silver Flouride (AgF) and Sodium Fluoride (NaF) and since it is an aqueous solution , the 1 liter bottle is likely to be Sodium Chloride( NaCl). Going by the reaction,

AgF + NaCl= AgCl + NaF

Here, the color of AgCl is white, hence the solution cannot be AgCl.

Determination of NaCl

Determination of NaCl can be done by Mohr's Method or Volhard's method. But results in Volhard's method are more accurate . Its uses the method of back titration with Potassium Thiocynate which forms a AgCl precipitate . Prior to titration,excess AgNO3 ( The problem also has a clue that excess reagents are present in the lab ) is added to the NaCl solution so that all the Cl- ions react with Ag+. Fe3+ is then added as an indicator and the solution is titrated with KSCN to form a silver thiocyannite precipitate (AgSCN). Once all the silver has reacted, a slight excess of SCN- reacts with Fe3+ to form Fe(SCN)3 dark red complex. The concentration of Cl- is determined by subtracting the titer findings of Ag+ ions that reacted to form AgSCN from the Ag NO3 moles added to the solution. This is used because pH of the solution is acidic. If the pH of solution is basic, Mohr's method is used.

Reactions

Ag+ (aq)+ Cl-(aq) = AgCl(aq)

Ag+(aq) + SCN-(aq) = AgSCN(aq)

Fe3+(aq) + SCN-(aq) = [FeSCN]2- (aq)