Experiment 5: Factors Affecting the Rate of the Reaction

Introduction

The outcome and the feasibility of any reaction is controlled by two factors:
• Kinetic factor (Exp. 5, 6)
Chemical kinetics is the study of chemical reaction rates, how reaction rates are controlled, and
the pathway or mechanism by which a reaction proceeds from its reactants to its products.
• Thermodynamic factor (Exp. 7)
It is related to the stability of the reactants and products
Kinetic factor

The speed of the reaction is given by the rate of the reaction. The rate of the reaction (mol./s) is
defined as: the number of moles of the reactants that disappear per unit time (s) or the number
of moles of products that appear per unit time (s). The rate of a chemical reaction may be
expressed as a change in the concentration of a reactant (or product) as a function of time (e.g.,
per second). The rate of a chemical reaction may be expressed as a change in the concentration
of a reactant (or product) as a function of time (e.g., per second)

For example
Consider this reaction A B

A → B

[B]

Concentration

[A]

time
 time [A] [B]

0 [A] 0

[A]t [B]t
t

The rate of the reaction: the number of moles of the reactants that disappear per unit time (s)

[A]t  [A] d [A]

Rate of the reaction = -  -
t0 dt

Or the number of moles of products that appear per unit time (s)

[B]t  0 d [B]
Rate of the reaction = 
dt
t0
Rate of the reaction is affected by the following factors:
• The nature of the reactant
• Temperature
• Catalyst
• Concentration
• Effect of Surface area
The Nature of the Reactant

Some substances are naturally more reactive than others and therefore undergo rapid chemical
changes. For example, the reaction of sodium metal and water is a very rapid, exothermic
reaction whereas the reaction gold with water does not occur.

Na + H2O NaOH + H2(g)

Au + H2O No reaction

In this experiment we will examine the oxidation-Reduction reaction of acids with metals and
observe that the rate of the reaction depends on the nature of the acid and metal used.

y electrons

xM + y HxA MxAy + xy H2 (g)

metal 2
acid
oxidized

2 electrons

Mg + H3PO4 Mg3(PO4)2 + 3 H2 (g)

Experimental
Part I: Different acids affect reaction rates. Half-fill a set of four labeled small test tubes (Figure
23.3) with 3 M H2SO4, 6 M HCl, 6 M CH3COOH, and 6 M H3PO4, respectively in a test tube rack.
(Caution: Avoid skin contact with the acids.) Submerge a 1-cm strip of magnesium ribbon into
each test tube. Compare the reaction rates and record your observations.

Observation: the speed of the gas evolution

Result H2SO4 > HCl > H3PO4 > CH3COOH

Part II: Different metals affect reaction rates. Half-fill a set of three labeled small test
tubes (Figure 23.4) with 6 M HCl. Submerge 1-cm strips of zinc, magnesium, and
copper separately into the test tubes. Compare the reaction rates of each metal in
HCl and record your observations.2 Match the relative reactivity of the metals

Result: Mg > Zn > Cu

Effect of Temperature

As the temperature increases, the kinetic energy of the molecules increases, more effective
collisions occur, and the rate of the reaction increases

Temperature rate of the reaction

Experimental
The oxidation–reduction reaction that occurs between hydrochloric acid and sodium thiosulfate,
Na2S2O3, produces insoluble sulfur as a product.

we will observe the rate of the above reaction at different temperatures ( 0 °C, room
temperature, and 70 °C) by measuring the time required for the cloudiness of sulfur to appear
 2 mL 0.10 M HCl 2 mL 0.10 M HCl 2 mL 0.10 M HCl

2 mL 0.10 M Na2S2O3 2 mL 0.10 M Na2S2O3 2 mL 0.10 M Na2S2O3

0 C room temperature 60 C

Time of sulfer to appear (s) Temperature ( C)

70 temperature
5

30 R.T.

150 0

Time
Effect of Catalyst

A catalyst increases the rate of a chemical reaction without undergoing any net chemical
change. Some catalysts increase the rate of only one specific chemical reaction without
affecting similar reactions. Other catalysts are more general and affect an entire set of similar
reactions. Catalysts generally reroute the pathway of a chemical reaction so that this “alternate”
path, although perhaps more circuitous, has a lower activation energy for reaction than
the uncatalyzed reaction
Experimental
Hydrogen peroxide is relatively stable, but it readily decomposes in the presence of a catalyst.

MnO2
H2O2 H2O + O2

Add a catalyst. Place approximately 2 mL of a 3% H2O2 solution in a clean, small test

tube. Add 1 or 2 crystals of MnO2 to the solution and observe. Note its instability
Effect of Concentration

An increase in the concentration of a reactant generally increases the reaction rate. See the
photo. The larger concentration of reactant molecules increases the probability of an “effective”
collision between reacting molecules for the formation of product.
Experimental
We will examine the rate of the reaction of magnesium metal with different concentrations of
hydrochloric acid

Mg + 2 HCl MgCl2 + H2
 Prepare the reactants. Into a set of four clean, labeled test tubes, pipet 5 mL of
6 M HCl, 4 M HCl, 3 M HCl, and 1 M HCl, respectively (Figure 23.6).2 Determine the mass (±0.001
g)—separately (for each solution)—of four 1-cm strips of polished (with steel wool or sand paper)
magnesium. Calculate the number of moles of magnesium in each strip
2. Record the time for completion of the reaction. Add the first magnesium strip to
the 6 M HCl solution. START TIME. Record the time for all traces of the magnesium strip to
disappear. Repeat the experiment with the remaining three magnesium
strips and the 4 M HCl, 3 M HCl, and 1 M HCl, solutions

Result: 6M HCl > 4 M > 3M > 1M

fastest slowest
Effect of the particle Size

In heterogeneous reactions (reaction of a solid with a gas or a liquid), as the particle size of the
solid increases the rate of the reaction decreases.
Experimental:

5 mL 1 M HCl 5 mL 1 M HCl

powder Mg piece of Mg

Result: the reaction with powder Mg is faster than magnesium piece