Testing Acid Strength

[frosch45]

First off, if I had vinegar *acetic acid* and I were to boil it at 105 degrees celcius, would this evaporate only the water and leave me with a more pure acetic acid?

 

The boiling point of acetic acid is approx 118 degrees celcius.

 

 

Also, is there a way to test, no pH, but actual acid strength?

[DrDNA]

You might be able to concentrate it somewhat that way, but not remove all the water. Even though acetic acid and water are not azeotropes, you would have to distill it over and over, each time the amount of water would decrease. Or find another way.......

 

For a protic acid, such as acetic acid, pH is the way to measure acidity.....how many free protons in solution. That said you could indirectly "measure" it by monitoring the rate of some chemical reaction that requires free protons ....

[YT2095]

I think you mean Concentration rather than strength here.

 

if you want Really Conc Acetic acid, turn it to sodium acetate and dry this to crystals, then add 70+% sulphuric acid to this and distill it.

 

be warned though, at very high concentration even acetic acid will knock you on your a$$ if you smell it, it will also cause burns to skin AND is very flammable.

 

I have a half litre bottle of GAA here, and just taking the cap off is enough to make the room stink like a fish`n`chip shop for hours!