Question

What is the n-factor and how it is calculated for oxalic acid dihydrate?

Answer 1

n-factor:

• “n-factor is defined as the number of moles of electron exchanged (lost or gained ) by one mole of salt.”
• For acid, the n-factor is described as the number of ${\mathrm{H}}^{+}$ ions replaced for one mole of an acid in a reaction.
• Acids are species that give ions when dissolved in a solvent.

n-factor of oxalic acid dihydrate $\left({\left(\mathrm{COOH}\right)}_2.2{\mathrm{H}}_2\mathrm{O}\right)$:

• In oxalic acid dihydrate${\left(\mathrm{COOH}\right)}_2.2{\mathrm{H}}_2\mathrm{O}$there are two replaceable hydrogens is $2$.

• So, the n-factor will be $2$ for oxalic acid dihydrate.
• The dissociation of oxalic acid can be given as:

${\mathrm{H}}_2{\mathrm{C}}_2{\mathrm{O}}_4\left(\mathrm{aq}\right)\to {\mathrm{H}}^{+}\left(\mathrm{aq}\right)+{\mathrm{HC}}_2{{\mathrm{O}}_4}^{-}\left(\mathrm{aq}\right)$