CHEMICAL KINETICS

C. DG. MARIANO
INSTITUTE OF CHEMISTRY, COLLEGE OF SCIENCE
UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES, DILIMAN, QUEZON CITY, PHILIPPINES
DATE PERFORMED: APRIL 21, 2014
INSTRUCTORS NAME: MR. MARO PENA

ABSTRACT
Rates of chemical reactions are measured through chemical kinetics. Reactions proceed at
different rates depending on the nature of its reactants, the concentration of the substances, the
temperature of the substances, and the presence of catalysts. This study aims to cast light on the
application of chemical kinetics: to determine the rate law of a reaction using initial rates method, to
apply the Arrhenius equation in determining the activation energy (E a) of a reaction, to examine a
catalyzed reaction and identify the role of the catalyst, and to illustrate the effect of varying
temperatures and concentrations on the reaction rate. In the experiment, six (6) set-ups were used for
testing the rate of reaction between hydrochloric acid (HCl) and sodium thiosulfate (Na2S2O3) on a
medium (H2O(l)). The factors concentration, temperature, and catalyst that affect the speed of
reaction are observed and analyzed to see how effectively each factor affects the results of the reactions.
Data gathered from the experiment showed that the rates of reactions increased or sped up when there
is larger concentration, increase in temperature, and presence of a catalyst. Knowing these would help
us predict the behavior of the chemical reaction and its efficiency.
Table
1.
Experimental
(Concentration)

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Part 1: Effect of Concentration on the Rate of
Reaction
A number of runs was conducted at
room temperature (32C). The reactions
contained different volume combinations of
Na2S2O3, HCl, and H2O having the equation:
S2O32-(aq) + 2H+(aq) SO2(g) + S(s) + H2O(l)

(1)

Run
No.

Time(s)

1
2
3
4
5
6

15
41
131
21
26
32

Results

1/Time (s1)

[S2O32]initial

[H+]initial

0.067
0.024
7.63x10-3
0.048
0.038
0.031

0.1 M
0.05 M
0.025 M
0.1 M
0.1 M
0.1 M

0.4 M
0.4 M
0.4 M
0.6 M
0.4 M
0.2 M

Initial concentrations were computed

by multiplying the concentration of the
substance to its volume. Since the temperature
and the total volume used for the runs were
constant, the only remaining factor that varied
was the time. With that, initial rate can be
derived as the inverse of time. Using the data
in Table 1.1, the order of the reaction with
respect to S2O32-, 1.48, and the order of the
reaction with respect to H+, 0.29, were

obtained, giving an overall kinetic order of

1.77.
Of the species involved in the reaction,
sulfur from S2O32- was the one responsible for
the visible change that showed the occurrence
of the reaction. The white precipitate, S(s),
formed indicated the reaction which made it
possible to obtain the data above. A possible
source of error in this part was that the timing
of the reaction was inconsistent. Another one
would be the beakers used have different
surface area or diameter. Having a larger
beaker than the first one used would result to
a slower reaction.
Part 2: Effect of Temperature on the Rate of
Reaction
Table
2.
Experimental
(Temperature)

Results

Temp.
(K)

1/Temp. (K1)

Time
(s)

1/time (s-1)

277
331.75
302.2

3.61x10-3
3.01x10-3
3.31x10-3

874
21
88

1.14x10-3
0.48x10-3
0.011x103

Based on the data obtained, it can be

concluded that the temperature of the reaction
is directly proportional to the rate of reaction.
The reaction immersed in the ice bath took the
longest time to react while the one immersed
in the hot bath had the quickest reaction. This
meant that by increasing the temperature,
collision frequency is also increased. The two
reactants will react only if with enough power.
The sign of the activation energy, Ea, is also
significant because a positive value means
increasing temperature always leads to an
increase in the rate constant, and a decrease if
otherwise.
Part 3A: Oxidation of Tartrate by Hydrogen
Peroxide

Table 3.
Tartrate)
Test
Tube
1
2

Observation

(Oxidation

of

Relative
Reaction
Time
colorless
slower
Pink upper layer, faster
colorless
lower
layer
Observation

In this part of the experiment, the

equation used was:
5 H2O2 (aq) + KNaC4H4O6 (aq)
4 CO2 (g) + NaOH (aq) + KOH (aq) + 6 H2O(l)
(2)
During the reaction, effervescence was
observed which was caused by the formation
of carbon dioxide, CO2(g). Without the catalyst
the evolution of CO2 is quite slow. With the
cobalt chloride solution the reaction proceeds
with the rapid evolution of CO2. This is
excellent demonstration of the formation of an
intermediate species When the reaction is
complete (no more bubbling), the catalyst is
regenerated. This is shown by the formation,
once again, of the pink color, indicating the
regeneration of the (pink) CoCl2 catalyst .1
Part 3B: Reaction
Permanganate
Test Tube
1
2

of

Oxalate

with

Reaction Time (s)

1st drop of
KMnO4
Slower
nd
2 drop of
KMnO4
Faster
Slower than test tube 1

In this part of the experiment, the

equation used was:
2KMnO4 + 5Na2C2O4 + 8H2SO4 K2SO4 +
10CO2 + 2MnSO4 + 5Na2SO4 + 8H2O
(2)

Autocatalysis is a kind of mutualism

where organisms of two different species
associate with each member benefitting. 2

Reference:
http://www.chem.purdue.edu/bcce/kinetics_
and_catalysis.pdf (accessed April 21, 2014)
http://people.biology.ufl.edu/ulan/pubs/Enc
yEcol.pdf (accessed April 22, 2014)