Name: _________________________ ( ) Class: _________ Group: _________ Date: ___________________

Experiment
 Book
Reference in textbook:
5, Part XIII
Experiment 52.1

52.1
Ch.52, p.14

Determining the activation energy of the

reaction between peroxodisulphate ions and
iodide ions

Objective

To determine the activation energy of the reaction between

2– –
peroxodisulphate ions, S2O8 (aq) and iodide ions, I (aq).

Apparatus and Chemicals

Each group will need:

♦ Safety spectacles ♦ Sodium thiosulphate solution
3 3
♦ Beaker (250 cm ) (0.010 M, 25 cm )
3 3
♦ 4 measuring cylinders (10 cm ) ♦ 0.2% starch solution (12.5 cm )
♦ 2 thermometers (–10°C to 110°C) ♦ Distilled water
(with a reinforced bulb) ♦ Ice
♦ 10 boiling tubes
Chemical disposal:
♦ Magnetic stirrer-hotplate
♦ Dispose of the wastes into labelled
♦ 2 stands and clamps
waste bottles for different kinds of
♦ Glass rod
chemicals.
♦ Stopwatch
♦ Ammonium peroxodisulphate Time required:
3
solution (0.020 M, 50 cm ) 2 periods
♦ Potassium iodide solution
3
(0.50 M, 25 cm )

Procedure

Safety precautions

HARMFUL OXIDIZING
㢘ⵂ ␸䍒

Ammonium Ammonium
peroxodisulphate peroxodisulphate
solution solution

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Name: ____________________ ( ) Class: _________ Group: _________ Date: ___________________
Experiment

3 3
1. (a) Prepare a water bath by adding 200 cm of water to a 250 cm
beaker and heat it to about 55°C.
52.1

3
(b) Using a measuring cylinder, add 10 cm of ammonium
peroxodisulphate solution to a boiling tube (tube A).
(c) Clamp tube A in the water bath and put a thermometer into
tube A (Figure 52.1).
thermometer

boiling tube A
clamp

ammonium
peroxodisulphate solution
water bath

Stir Heat
magnetic stirrer-hotplate
Figure 52.1

3
2. (a) Using measuring cylinders, add 5 cm potassium iodide solution,
3 3
5 cm sodium thiosulphate solution and 2.5 cm starch solution,
in another boiling tube (tube B) (Figure 52.2a).
(b) Clamp tube B in the water bath and put another thermometer into
tube B (Figure 52.2b).

thermometers
sodium
thiosulphate solution
clamps
boiling tube A
boiling tube B
potassium starch ammonium potassium iodide
iodide solution solution peroxodisulphate solution + sodium
solution thiosulphate
solution + starch
water bath solution
boiling tube B

magnetic stirrer-hotplate Stir Heat

(a) (b)
Figure 52.2

3. (a) When the temperatures of the two solutions become steady and
are approximately equal (e.g. 55°C), remove the thermometers in
tubes A and B, and pour the contents of tube B into tube A.
(b) Stir the mixture in tube A gently with a glass rod and start the
stopwatch immediately. Put the thermometer into tube A after
stirring.

4. When the dark blue colour of the starch-iodine complex appears in

the solution and completely masks the thermometer, stop the
stopwatch. Record the time in Table 52.1.

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Name: _________________________ ( ) Class: _________ Group: _________ Date: ___________________

Experiment
SBA note
5. Record the temperature of the mixture in Table 52.1.
The temperature of
6. Repeat steps 1 to 5 at temperatures close to 45°C, 35°C, 25°C and

52.1
the water bath can be
lowered by adding 15°C.
ice to it, until the
desired temperature
is reached. However, Results
it is not necessary for
the temperatures to 7. Record the results in Table 52.1.
be exactly the same
as listed (i.e. 15°C, Temperature of reaction
25°C, 35°C and 45°C).
mixture (°C)
Time for the appearance
of dark blue colour (s)
Table 52.1

Ea
–
8. (a) According to the Arrhenius equation, k = Ae RT

where k is the ,

A is the Arrhenius constant,

–1
Ea is the (in J mol ),
–1 –1
R is the (i.e. 8.31 J K mol ),

T is the (in K).

Taking logarithm of the Arrhenius equation gives

log k = log A –Ea (1)

2.3RT
Substitute k by 1 in Equation (1) gives
time

log ( 1 ) = log A’ – Ea where A’ is a constant

time 2.3RT
A plot of log ( 1 ) against ( 1 ) gives a straight line. Its slope is
time T

equal to .

(b) Before plotting the graph using the results in Table 52.1, complete
Table 52.2 below.

1
log ( )
time
1 –3 –1
(× 10 K )
T
Table 52.2

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Name: ____________________ ( ) Class: _________ Group: _________ Date: ___________________
Experiment

(c) In Graph 52.1 below, plot log ( 1 ) against ( 1 ).

time T
52.1

Graph 52.1

SBA note (d) From the graph, the slope is .

Calculate the slope –1
either from any 2 (e) Calculate the activation energy of the reaction (in kJ mol ).
points on the best
straight line or by
using the Graph
Wizard of the Excel
application.

Summary
9. Since the rate is directly proportional to 1 , a plot of log ( 1 )
time time
against 1 should give a . The activation
T
energy of the reaction can be found from the of the
line.
52 4 HKDSE CHEMISTRY — A Modern View (Second Edition)
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Name: _________________________ ( ) Class: _________ Group: _________ Date: ___________________

Experiment
Questions

52.1
10. Write an ionic equation for the reaction between peroxodisulphate
ions and iodide ions.

11. What is the purpose of using sodium thiosulphate solution in this

experiment?

12. What does the appearance of the dark blue starch-iodine complex
indicate in this experiment?

13. State TWO sources of error in this experiment.

Related exercise in textbook

Book 5

Chapter 52 exercise p.23 Q27

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