EXPERIMENT 4

EXPERIMENTS ON KINETICS

Aim

The aim of the two experiments in this practical is to investigate the way in which the rate of a
chemical reaction depends on concentration of the reactants and the temperature at which the
reaction is carried out.

Introduction

The reaction to be examined is that between sodium thiosulphate and hydrochloric acid

As the reaction proceeds sulphur is precipitated and the rate of the reaction is estimated by
timing how long it takes for a certain concentration of precipitate to be formed. The rate of
reaction is then proportional to the reciprocal of this time.

A reaction that follows first order kinetics has the rate law


A k
dt
A d
1

1
2
log
2
1
k
t
e


Where k
1
is the first order rate constant (units sec
-1
), d[A]/dt is the rate of reaction and [A]
concentration of thiosulphate. For a reaction that follows second order kinetics the rate law is



2
2
A k
dt
A d


where k
2
is the second order rate constant (units dm
3
moles
-1
sec
-1
).

Most reaction rates increase with temperature. Arrhenius found that most reaction rates obeyed
the equation

RT E
a
Ae k
/

which may also be expressed as

RT
E
A k
a
ln ln

Part 1: The Effect of the Concentration of Reactants

Measure out 50 cm
3
of sodium thiosulphate solution (20g/dm
3
) into the conical flask. Add 5 cm
3

of the 2M hydrochloric acid, simultaneously starting the stopwatch. Immediately the flask
S(s) + (g)
SO
+ O(l)
H
(aq)
H
2 + (aq) -
O S
2 2
+ 2
3
2

should then be swirled once or twice before placing it over a piece of paper with a cross marked
on it. Look down vertically onto the cross and note the time taken for the cross to disappear.

Repeat the experiment using 40, 30, 20, 10 and 5 cm
3
of the thiosulphate solution made up in
each case to 50 cm
3
with distilled water. The results should be recorded in the form of a table.

Part2: The Effect of Reaction Temperature.

Measure out 10 cm
3
of the thiosulphate solution into the conical flask add 40 cm
3
water and
warm the solution gently, if necessary, until the temperature is about 20
O
C (293 K). Now add 5
cm
3
of the 2 M hydrochloric acid, note the temperature, start the stopwatch and swirl the
mixture. Note the time of disappearance of the cross on the paper as in the first experiment. (t
D
).

Repeat the experiment at 30
O
C, 40
O
C, 50
O
C and 60
O
C (as near as possible) by heating the
thiosulphate solution before adding the acid.

DATA TREATMENT

1. Using data from part 1, plot graphs of 1/time against concentration of thiosulphate and also
1/time against concentration
2
or any appropriate graph to deduce whether or not the reaction
follows first order or second order kinetics. Calculate the rate constant and discuss your
observations in relation to the chemical reaction.

2. Explain why the rate of a chemical reaction changes with concentration of the reactants.

3. Using data from part 2 plot the reciprocal of the time taken against absolute temperature (K =
273 +
O
C). Also plot the natural logarithm (log
e
) of 1/t
D
against 1/absolute temperature.

4. Calculate E
a
, the activation energy for the reaction. Comment on the significance of E
a
and
explain why the rate of most chemical reactions increases with increased temperature.

5. Estimate the error in E
a



EQUIPMENT
Thermometer 100
0
C
200 300 ml conical flask x 6

CHEMICALS
20g in 1L Na
2
S
2
O
3

100 ml 2 M HCl
Deionised water.