Name: ___________________

Grade 12 Chemistry LAB - Reaction Rates

INTRODUCTION Credit to Shane Shumsky

The initial-rate method may be used to determine the reaction order of each component in a reacting system. In this
method, the rate of reaction is measured near the beginning of the reaction, before the concentration of components in the
system have changed significantly. Then a new system is prepared in which the concentration of only one component is
changed from that of the original reaction, and the rate is again measured. This procedure is repeated for each reactant.

In this experiment, the reaction of iodide ion with persulfate ion, represented by the following chemical equation, is
studied:

2 I-(aq) + S2082-(aq)  I2(aq) +2S042-(aq) (1)

However, it does not follow that the order with respect to each component is the same as the stoichiometry. Rather, the
rate equation should be written as

Rate = k [I-]a [S2O82-]b (2)

where the rate constant, k, and the reaction order for each component, a and b, must be determined
experimentally.
To determine the reaction rate, you must measure the amount of product formed, or reactant removed, in a time interval.
In the experiment you will measure the time required for a specific amount of diiodine to be produced.

Diiodine reacts very rapidly with thiosulfate ion, represented by the equation:

I2 (aq) +2S2032-(aq)  2 I-(aq) + S4062-(aq) (3)

As long as any thiosulfate ion is present in the solution, diiodine will react as quickly as it is
produced by reaction (1). Not until after the thiosulfate ion has been totally used up will diiodine begin to appear in the
solution. This first appearance of the free diiodine is detected by its reaction with starch (already present in the solution),
forming a characteristic blue-black starch-iodine complex.

The average rate for the reaction is given by:

So that the rate, and rate constant, will be independent of the size of the reacting system, the rate is usually defined as the
rate of change of the concentration. The relationship becomes:

Average rate = 0.5 [S2032-] / t (4)

To determine the order of reaction with respect to iodide ion, i.e. the value of 'a' in equation (2), the concentration of
persulfate ion is kept constant and the concentration of iodide ion varied. If 'a' is first order, halving the concentration of
iodide ion would double the time required for reaction. If the reaction is second order, then halving the concentration
would quadruple the time required for reaction, etc. The value of 'b' may be determined by varying the persulfate ion
concentration while keeping the iodide ion concentration constant.

Once the orders have been determined the value of the rate constant, k, may be calculated, knowing the concentration of
components involved. From equation (2)
 k = Rate / [I-]a [S2O82-]b (5)

This rate constant should not vary as long as the temperature remains fixed.

However, the presence of a substance which provides for an alternative reaction mechanism may influence the rate of
reaction. Such substances are called catalysts if they speed up the reaction but are not themselves any different after the
reaction has occurred. The substance you will examine for its potential as a catalyst is copper(II) sulfate.

By examining the reaction at different temperatures you can determine the activation energy for this reaction. The most
reliable way of doing this is graphically. We will plot ln k against 1/T, which should produce a straight line with a slope
of –Ea/R.
ln k = -Ea/R
1/T
where k is the rate constant, Ea is the activation energy, R is the gas constant. (8.31 J K -1 mol-1) and T is the absolute
temperature in Kelvin (K).
 Name: ___________________
Grade 12 Chemistry LAB - Reaction Rates

Grade 12

C12-3-01 Formulate an operational definition for reaction rate in terms of rate units (i.e., change per
unit time, x/t).
C12-3-02 Identify variables used to monitor reaction rates (e.g., pressure, temperature, pH,
conductivity, etc.).
C12-3-03 Measure the average rate of a chemical reaction.

Purpose: How do changing reactant concentrations and the addition of a catalyst changes a rate of reaction.

Hypothesis: ______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
Reasoning for Hypothesis at a Molecular Level:
______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________

Theory:
Stock solutions
A. 0.20 M KI, a source of I-
B. 0.0050 M Na2S2O3, a source of S2O32- (this solution also contains some starch)
C. 0.10 M (NH4)2S2O8, a source of S2O82-
D. 0.01 M CuSO4 (acts as a catalyst)
The ions react according to the following reactions:

2I- + S2O82-  I2 + 2SO42- …slow…(1)

I2 + 2S2O32-  2I- + S4O62- …fast…(2)
S2O82- + 2S2O32-  2SO42- + S4O62- …overall…

The main focus is on the slow step, equation (1) – the rate-determining step. You will measure the different
times required to make the same amount of I2. I2 forms a blue colored substance with starch. Any time
variations will be due to the changing concentrations of I- or S2O82-.

Procedure:
Part I – Differing Concentrations
1) Get 3 clean 25mL graduated cylinders and label them A, B and C. Use them to carefully measure the
volumes of the three stock solutions to be used for each mixture (as detailed in Table I below)
 TABLE I – Reaction of Mixtures
Mixture Solution A Solution B Solution C Reaction Reaction Initial Initial
(mL) (mL) (mL) Time Time with Concentration Concentration
(sec) catalyst (sec) of I- (M) of S2O82- (M)
1 20.0 10.0 20.0
2 10.0 20.0
3
4
5

Note: This will serve as your data table. Additional mixtures will be provided on the board.

2) Start by preparing mixture 1. Pour 10 mL of solution B into a clean, dry 100 mL beaker.
3) Get the prescribed amounts of solution A and solution C using the graduated cylinders.
4) Start your stopwatch at exactly the same time that you pour the graduated cylinders A and C into the beaker
containing B.
5) Stir the solution continuously. When the first sign of blue appears, record this as your reaction time in Table
I above.
6) Repeat steps 2) through 5) for mixtures 2, 3, 4, and 5.

7) Using mixture 1 as an example, draw a representation at the particle level showing ions and how they are
reacting. First show the ions in their separate graduated cylinders and then show all of the particles together
in the beaker.

8) Draw a representation at the particle level of a more concentrated mixture showing the ions and how they
are reacting. First show the ions in their separate graduated cylinders and then show all of the particles
together in the beaker.
9) From the representation in 7) above, write a symbolic equation for the overall reaction.

Part II – The catalyst.

1) Repeat steps 2) through 5) of Part I, but this time add 4 drops of 0.01 M CuSO4 (solution D) to the
graduated cylinder containing solution C before adding it to the beaker.

2) Record the time required to make a color change in Table I. (Note: It should be faster than the initial time)
3) Draw a representation at the particle level showing the ions and how they are reacting, but include the
catalyst in the overall reaction scheme. First show the ions in their separate graduated cylinders and then
show all of the particles together in the beaker.

4) From the representation, write a symbolic equation for the overall reaction.

Follow-up Questions:
1. The ions react according to the following reactions:

2I- + S2O82-  I2 + 2SO42- …slow…(1)

I2 + 2S2O32-  2I- + S4O62- …fast…(2)
S2O82- + 2S2O32-  2SO42- + S4O62- …overall…
Explain with reference to the chemical change that occurs in this investigation the term “Rate of Reaction at:

i. The macroscopic level:

ii. The molecular level:

iii. The symbolic level:

2. Increasing the concentration of I- (increases decreases) the rate of the reaction.

3. Increasing the concentration of S2O82- (increases decreases) the rate of the reaction.
4. Explain how increasing or decreasing the concentration affects the reaction rate using evidence that you
observed, evidence from your representations at the particle level, and include the overall equation.
5. The use of a catalyst (increases decreases) the rate of the reaction.
6. Explain how the catalyst affects the reaction rate using evidence that you observed, evidence from your
representations at the particle level, and include the overall equation involving the catalyst.