How to Calculate an Acid Number

Acid number is the number of milligrams of potassium hydroxide required to neutralize one gram of any chemical substance. In fatty acids and other compound mixtures, this indicates the number of carboxylic acid groups present in a chemical compound. Acidity, acid value or neutralization number are the other names for acid number.

Things You'll Need

  • 250 ml conical flask
  • Potassium hydroxide
  • Neutralized ethanol
  • Water bath
  • Phenolphthalein Indicator
  • 5 ml burette
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Instructions

    • 1

      Weigh accurately 0.5 gm of sample into 50 ml neutralized ethanol taken in a 250 ml conical flask. Swirl the solution to dissolve the sample and heat on a water bath, if necessary.

    • 2

      Titrate the solution with 0.1 Normal potassium hydroxide solution using a 5 ml burette with phenolphthalein as indicator. Add drop-wise near the end point. Note the burette reading when the colorless solution changes to pink on a single drop.

    • 3

      Acid value = (A---N---56.1)/W

      A = Milliliters of 0.1 Normal potassium hydroxide required for sample titration.

      N = Normality of potassium hydroxide solution.

      W= Weight in grams of the sample taken.

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