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Ch.4 - Reactions in Aqueous Solution
Chapter 4, Problem 15

The concentration of a solution of potassium permanganate, KMnO4, can be determined by titration with a known amount of oxalic acid, H2C2O4, according to the following equation: What is the concentration of a KMnO4 solution if 22.35 mL reacts with 0.5170 g of oxalic acid? (LO 4.22) (a) 0.6423 M(b) 0.1028 M(c) 0.4161 M (d) 0.2569 M

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1
Write the balanced chemical equation for the reaction between potassium permanganate (KMnO4) and oxalic acid (H2C2O4).
Calculate the moles of oxalic acid (H2C2O4) using its molar mass.
Use the stoichiometry from the balanced equation to determine the moles of KMnO4 that reacted.
Convert the volume of KMnO4 solution from milliliters to liters.
Calculate the concentration of the KMnO4 solution using the formula: \( \text{Concentration (M)} = \frac{\text{moles of KMnO4}}{\text{volume of solution in liters}} \).

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Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

Titration

Titration is a quantitative analytical technique used to determine the concentration of a solute in a solution. It involves the gradual addition of a titrant of known concentration to a solution containing the analyte until the reaction reaches its endpoint, which is often indicated by a color change. In this case, potassium permanganate (KMnO4) acts as the titrant reacting with oxalic acid (H2C2O4).
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Stoichiometry

Stoichiometry is the calculation of reactants and products in chemical reactions based on the balanced chemical equation. It allows us to determine the relationships between the amounts of substances involved in the reaction. For the titration of KMnO4 with oxalic acid, the stoichiometric coefficients from the balanced equation will be essential to relate the moles of oxalic acid to the moles of KMnO4.
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Molarity

Molarity is a measure of concentration defined as the number of moles of solute per liter of solution. It is expressed in moles per liter (M). To find the concentration of the KMnO4 solution, one must calculate the moles of oxalic acid used in the reaction and then use the stoichiometry of the reaction to find the corresponding moles of KMnO4, which can then be converted to molarity using the volume of the KMnO4 solution.
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