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EQUIVALENT MASSES AND NORMALITY

All volumetric analysis problems can be solved in the usual manner, on the basis of the mole, molar
solutions and balanced chemical equations. There is however, another method, based on equivalents and
normal solutions which does not require the use of any balanced chemical equations. In this method
equivalents are used rather than moles. The definition of an equivalent is based on the fact that one
equivalent of a given reactant will react with exactly one equivalent of another reactant.
There are two types of reactions for which equivalents are defined: (1) acid-base reactions and, (2)
oxidation-reduction reactions. In CHEM 1110 we will deal with acid-base reactions. You will encounter
equivalents for oxidation-reduction reactions next semester in CHEM 1210 (hopefully!!).
For acid-base reactions, equivalent weights or equivalent masses are based on the fact that one H+(aq)
ion reacts with one OH-(aq) ion. One equivalent of an acid is the mass of the acid that supplies one mole
of H+(aq) ions, and one equivalent of a base is the amount of the base which supplies one mole of
OH-(aq) ions. The equivalent weight or equivalent mass is therefore given by the general equation,
equivalent mass = molar mass/a
where "a" for an acid is the number of moles of H+(aq) supplied by one mole of acid in the reaction
taking place, and for a base "a" is the number of moles of OH-(aq) supplied by one mole of base in the
reaction taking place.

EXAMPLES: (1) HCl + NaOH

NaCl + H2O
Equivalent mass HCl = Molar mass HCl = 36.5 g
Equivalent mass NaOH = Molar mass NaOH = 40.0 g

Na2SO4 + 2H2O
(2) H2SO4 + 2NaOH
Equivalent mass NaOH = Molar mass NaOH = 40.0 g
Equivalent mass H2SO4 = (Molar mass H2SO4)/2 = 49.0 g

(3) H3PO4 + 3NaOH

Na3PO4 + 3H2O
Equivalent mass NaOH = Molar mass NaOH = 40.0 g
Equivalent mass H3PO4 = (Molar mass H3PO4)/3= 32.7 g

(4) H3PO4 + 2NaOH

Na2HPO4 + 2H2O
Equivalent mass NaOH = Molar mass NaOH = 40.0 g
Equivalent mass H3PO4 = (Molar mass H3PO4)/2= 49.0 g
The concentration unit "normality, (N)" of a solution is the number of equivalents of solute dissolved in
one liter of solution, that is
Normality = (equivalents of solute)/Liter of solution
The concentration units of normality and molarity are related by the simple relationship:
N = aM

-10NOTE: Since the number of H+(aq) per mole of acid and OH-(aq)per mole of base is at least one, the
normality can never be smaller than the molarity; it must always be either the same as the
molarity or a whole number multiple of the molarity.

EXAMPLES: (1) HCl + NaOH

NaCl + H2O
1.0 M HCl = 1.0 N HCl

(2) H2SO4 + 2NaOH

Na2SO4 + 2H2O
1.0 M H2SO4 = 2.0 N H2SO4

(3) H3PO4 + 3NaOH

Na3PO4 + 3H2O
1.0 M H3PO4 = 3.0 N H3PO4

(4) H3PO4 + 2NaOH

Na2HPO4 + 2H2O
1.0 M H3PO4 = 2.0 N H3PO4
Now that equivalent masses and normality have been discussed and shown to depend on the reaction
between the acid and base, we can proceed to see how normality can be used in volumetric analysis.
From the definition of normality we can write:
# equivalents of A = (Volume of A)x(Normality of A)
At the equivalence point of an acid-base titration the equivalents of acid equals the equivalents of base:
equivalents of acid = equivalents of base
VacidNacid = VbaseNbase
The use of normality this simplifies solution stoichiometry problems since a balanced chemical equation
is not needed because the stoichiometric coefficients have already been accounted for by using
equivalents instead of moles.
EXAMPLE:

10.0 mL of an unknown acid required 20.0 mL of 0.125 N NaOH to reach the equivalence
point.
(a) Calculate the normality of the unknown acid.
(b) What is the molarity of the unknown acid if one mole of acid reacts two moles of base
in the neutalization process?
Answer:

(a) equivalents of acid = equivalents of base

VacidNacid = VbaseNbase
Therefore Nacid = (20.0 mL)(0.125 N)/(10.0 mL) = 0.250 N
(b) Macid = 0.250 N/2 = 0.125 M

Notice that in solving this problem no use was made of any balanced chemical equation for the reaction
between the acid and the base. The reason is that by making use of normality the stoichiometry is "built
in".

-11QUESTIONS DEALING WITH EQUIVALENT MASSES AND NORMALITY

1.

Calculate the equivalent mass of the triprotic acid, citric acid (C6H8O7).

2.

Calculate the equivalent mass of aluminum hydroxide.

3.

If 900.4 mg of the diprotic acid, oxalic acid (H2C2O4) is exactly neutralized by 24.10 mL of NaOH
solution. Calculate the normality of the NaOH solution.

4.

If 3.12 mmol of Bi(OH)3 are completely neutralized by 25.00 mL of H2SO4 solution. Calculate the
normality and the molarity of the H2SO4 solution.

5.

294.0 mg of an unknown acid was neutralized by exactly 28.30 mL of 0.3180 N NaOH solution.
(a) Calculate the equivalent mass of the unknown acid.
(b) Calculate the molar mass of the unknown acid if it is monoprotic (i.e. HA).
(c) Calculate the molar mass of the unknown acid if it is diprotic (i.e. H2A).
(d) Calculate the molar mass of the unknown acid if it is triprotic (i.e. H3A).

ANSWERS TO ABOVE QUESTIONS

1.

64.05 g/equivalent

2.

26.00 g/equivalent

3.

0.8299 N

4.

0.3744 N and 0.1872 M

5.

(a) 32.67 g/equivalent

(b) 32.67 g/mol
(c) 65.34 g/mol
(d) 98.01 g/mol