Vinegar is an acidic liquid produced from the fermentation process of ethanol. Fermentation of sugar — Acid-Base Titration Chemistry Question
Problem Context
Vinegar is an acidic liquid produced from the fermentation process of ethanol. Fermentation of sugars produces alcohol and then a secondary fermentation of the alcohol produced acetic acid. Today, in this country, the FDA requires that any product that is called vinegar have at least 4.0% acetic acid. Depending on the type of vinegar, acetic acid concentrations vary from 4.0% to 8.0%.
Devise and carry out a process to determine which store would be more profitable making 1,000,000 bottles of its vinegar given the following information:
Store A sells its vinegar for $0.99 for a 473mL bottle.
Store B sells its vinegar for $7.92 for a 3.78 L bottle.
The cost for acetic acid is the same for both stores.
Model Answer
An excellent response included:
Experimental Plan in which the candidate specified the volume of vinegar to be titrated and how it would be measured, the indicator to be used (with the color change expected), and the means (drops, syringe or mass) of measuring the volume of NaOH solution used,
Data and Observations with a minimum of two trials for each of the two vinegar samples presented in a clear manner,
Calculations that provided the relative or absolute concentrations of the two vinegar samples that were correct from the data obtained with a concentration ratio with a high level of accuracy (+ 5%),
Analysis and Conclusions that specified that the two vinegars were being sold for the same amount ($2.09/L) and a conclusion based on either the lower concentration of acetic acid in vinegar A or the total amount of vinegar sold by store B.