Experiment 3

“Determine the rate law for the chemical reaction of crystal violet (CV) with sodium hydroxide (NaOH)
to form a colorless solution with the use of colorimeter and graphical analysis”
Name: Hussain Yawari
Partner: Eeman Abdulkadir
AP Chemistry – F Block
Date: 31st of October 2017
Teacher: Nada ElGhossein
 ABSTRACT

The main objective of the experiment was determining the rate law of the fading of crystal violet experiment

by conducting experiments and graphing the obtained results and then evaluate the graphs in order to

determine the rate law of the experiment. The lab conducted in order to find the rate law for the reaction

taking place was started by taking a colorimeter and setting the wavelength to 565nm. The colorimeter was

then calibrated using a cuvette filled with distilled water and holding down the CAL. button. Two solutions

containing 25 µM of CV+ were reacted with different excess concentration of NaOH (0.02M and 0.1M). in

equal volumes (10ml each). The two solutions were added simultaneously in a beaker and mixed

thoroughly. The solution from the beaker was then quickly added into another cuvette and placed in the

colorimeter to obtain absorbance values for the solution as a function of time. The same procedure was used

for the second solution of NaOH- (0.1 M). Two trails were conducted for each experiment to calculate

average K for the experiments afterwards. The absorbance values recorded for CV+ were then converted to

concentration by using the equation from Beers Law (A = ɛ l c). 3 graphs were then plotted in order to

determine the order of CV+. The graphs plotted were Concentration vs Time, Ln(Concentration) vs time

and 1/Concentration vs time. The graph with the nearest correlation (r2) to 1 was then chosen to be the order

of CV+. The graph of Ln(Concentration) vs time had a correlation of 0.9997 which was the closest to 1 and

hence the order of CV+ was said to be 1. The order of OH- was then calculated and found to be 1. Hence,

the results determined the rate law of the reaction between NaOH and CV+ which was Rate=k[CV+] [OH-]

where the rate constant (true k) was found to be k = 0.091025 M-1s-1. The concept of spectrophotometry is

not only useful in chemistry, but is also used in hospitals and for other medical research. The colorimeter

is used to test the concentration of hemoglobin within the blood. Hemoglobin is the oxygen-carrying

component of red blood cells. When the hemoglobin has oxygen-rich blood, the blood appears red. A high

concentration of hemoglobin within the blood is an indicator of good health, while low levels suggest that

the muscles, internal organs and brain are not receiving sufficient oxygen supply (Dadachanji).
 RESULTS

The rate law for the reaction could be assumed to be Rate = k [CV+]X [OH-1]Y. If we take excess

concentration of NaOH, we can assume that rate is equal to a new constant (pseudo K) * [CV]. This

relationship would help find the pseudo K value after we have determined the order for CV from

graphical analysis.
The absorbance values recorded for CV+ were then converted to concentration by using the equation from

Beers Law (A = ɛ l c). 3 graphs were then plotted in order to determine the order of CV+. The graphs

plotted were Concentration vs Time, Ln(Concentration) vs time and 1/Concentration vs time. The graph

with the most linear fit was then chosen by looking at the graph with the nearest correlation (r2) to 1 was

then chosen to be the order of CV+. The graph of Ln(Concentration) vs time had a correlation of 0.9997

which was the closest to 1 and hence the order of CV+ was said to be 1. The order of OH- was then

calculated by using the formula mentioned in calculations 3 and found to be 1.

The pseudo rate constant values and average pseudo rate values obtained from the slope of the graph of

ln(Concentration) are shown in the table below in table 1.

Table 1:

Concentration of NaOH Trial 1 Pseudo Rate Trial 2 Pseudo Rate Average Pseudo-Rate

(M) Constant (s-1) Constant (s-1) Constant (s-1)

0.2 0.01376 0.01143 0.01959

0.1 0.015818 0.017821 0.01682

The true rate constants of the individual reactions for 0.2 M and 0.1 M of NaOH and the overall rate

constant can be seen in table 2 below.

 Concentration of NaOH (M) True Rate Constant (M-1 s-1)

0.2 0.09795

0.1 0.0841

Average 0.091025

The results derived from the experiment were the average pseudo rate constants for each

concentration of NaOH (Table 1) and also the true rate constant of the overall reaction (Table 2).

Rate = k[CV+] [OH-]; k = 0.091025 M-1s-1

 DISCUSSION

There is always a possibility of error even if the error is considerably minute or minimal

experimental error in any experiment. experiment for finding the order of the order conducted in

class. The first small error that could have occurred is the time lost between adding the solution

in the cuvette and into the colorimeter. This might have been an error as the time lost might have

caused an inaccuracy in the values recorded and prevented the values from being as accurate as

possible. Another possibility of the students not taking the accurate values from the graduated

beaker for the solutions due to the eye sight or eye level difference might cause inaccurate results

for the absorbance. This would lead to future inaccurate results in calculations for transmittance.

To solve this inaccuracy, the experiment could have been conducted more than two times and the

average may result in a more accurate answer. A systematic error could have also occurred

when the colorimeter was being used. Not recalibrating the colorimeter after getting results could

lead to an inaccurate answer. This is caused due to the colorimeter not having a 0 scale when the

measurement is started. Another minor error maybe the remains of the solution on the outer

surface of the cuvette. This error could be solved by cleaning the cuvette thoroughly with tissues

before placing it inside the colorimeter. The negative absorbance recorded by the colorimeter,

i.e. the reacting solution absorbed more light than the black reference. This may have lead to a

slightly inaccurate answer.

The results support the objective and the purpose as the rate law was for CV and NaOH

reacting was found to be Rate=k[CV+] [OH-] where k = 0.091025 M-1 s-1.

In class, the colorimeter was used to calculate the absorbance of a solution. But that is not the

only use of the colorimeter in the modern world today. The colorimeter is also used to test the

concentration of hemoglobin within the blood. Hemoglobin is the oxygen-carrying component of

red blood cells. When the hemoglobin has oxygen-rich blood, the blood appears red. A high

concentration of hemoglobin within the blood is an indicator of good health, while low levels

suggest that the muscles, internal organs and brain are not receiving sufficient oxygen supply

(Dadachanji).
 CALCULATIONS
1. To accurately find the concentration/volume of the solution when absorbance was given,

Beers law was used A = ɛ l c to solve for c

c = A/50000

c = 0.038/50000

c = 7.6*10-6

2. The second equation used was to find the order of OH-

Y = ln (Kb / KA)/ ln (0.5)

Y = ln (0.00682/0.012595)/ ln (0.5)
Y = 0.885007 = 1

3. The third calculation used was to find the true rate constant was
KTrue = Keff / [OH-]
KTrue = 0.01959 / [0.2]
KTrue = 0.09795 M-1 s-1
 GRAPHS
Graph 1: (Trail 1 for 0.2M) Relation of Concentration (M) vs Time (s)
Graph 2: (Trial 1 for 0.2M) Relation of Ln(Concentration) (M) vs Time (s)
Graph 3: (Trial 1 for 0.2M) Relation of 1/Concentration (M) vs time (s)
Graph 4: (Trial 2 for 0.2M) Relation of Ln(Concentration) (M) vs Time (s)
Graph 5: (Trial 1 for 0.1M) Relation of Ln(Concentration) (M) vs Time (s)
Graph 6: (Trial 2 for 0.1M) Relation of Ln(Concentration) (M) vs Time (s)
 Work Cited

“Use of a Colorimeter.” Sciencing, sciencing.com/use-colorimeter-5382170.html.