Investigate the effects of HCL on magnesium strips.

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TO investigate the effects of HCL on magnesium strips (rate of Reaction)

Mg(s) + 2HCl(ag)  --> MgCl2(ag) + H2(g)

Mg = Magnesium        HCl = Hydrochloric acid

(s) = Solid         (g) = Gas         (ag) = Mixed with water

What I will be seeing in the beaker as Magnesium and Hydrochloric acid react is the solution fizzing and making bubbles and will see slowly or fast depending on how much concentration there is, Magnesium breaking away and eventually dissolving.

The different things I could measure in this reaction to work out the speed of the reaction are:

  • precipitation
  • change in mass
  • the volume of gas given off
  • high and low concentration

Precipitation is when the product is a precipitate, which clouds the solution. To measure the speed of how long it takes for it to disappear is to observe a marker through the solution.

Change in mass is usually the gas given off and if put on the mass balance you would see the mass disappearing as the gas is given off.

The volume of gas given off is to use a gas syringe, which collects the gas and is then measured of the volume of gas given off.

Add more or less concentration is to make the solution more acidic or less and see how long it takes the magnesium to disappear.

The particles of acid and magnesium during the reaction.

The different things I could change to alter the speed of this reaction is to add more hydrochloric acid to the water to make it more concentrated so the reaction would be quicker. Alternatively, to add more water to the hydrochloric acid to make it less concentrated so the reaction is slower. To push the magnesium with a pencil to sink it to the bottom so that the acid is reacting with the whole of the magnesium and not just the bottom and the sides if it is floating at the top. You could also stir the solution to make the particles collide with each other more and make the reaction faster. For my experiment, I am going to add more and less acid to the water.

   

Rates of Reaction measures different reaction rates and tells us things that affect the speed of a reaction. There are ten factors that affect how fast a reaction takes place these are:

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  • temperature rise
  • size of particles
  • catalyst
  • pressure
  • turbulence
  • pH
  • surface area
  • electric current
  • concentration
  • light.

There are three ways to measure the speed of a reaction and these are precipitation, change in mass and the volume of gas given off. The four things that are suitable for the magnesium reaction to affect how fast it takes place are temperature, turbulence, concentration and surface area. Concentration is the best for this magnesium reaction because it is easy to undertake.  

The sorts of changes that normally take place ...

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