Measure the effect of concentration on the rate of reaction.

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                                Rates of reaction

Aim:

To measure the effect of concentration on the rate of reaction.

Introduction:

The rate of a chemical reaction is a measure of how fast the reaction takes place.  A rapid reaction is completed in a short time.  Some reactions are very fast for example, the formation of silver chloride precipitate, when silver nitrate and hydrochloric acid solutions are mixed.  Other reactions are very slow for example the rusting of iron.

        There are 6 factors that can change the rate of reaction theses include, Concentration of a solution, temperature, surface area of a solid, pressure of a gas, light and a catalyst.

        When increasing the concentration of the reactant, the rate of reaction will increase.  If Sodium Thiosulphate is added to Hydrochloric acid the following reaction will take place:

Sodium Thiosulphate + Hydrochloric acid           Sodium Chloride +

                                                             Sulphur Dioxide + Water + Sulphur

= Nas2O3  + HCI            NaCI + SO2  + H2O + SO

The more concentration means that there are more particles of acid, moving through fewer particles of water.  This means that there are more chances of some particles colliding with particles of another in a concentrated solution.  After a while, many of the particles have reacted and change.  

                                                                                                                                                                                                                        

Increasing the temperature will increase the rate of reaction.  By warming a chemical it transfers Kinetic energy to the chemicals particles.  The particles will move faster as there is more Kinetic energy, this will mean that more collisions will happen.

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Increasing the surface area of a solid, will increase the rate of reaction.  The reaction will only take place at the surface of a solid.  This means that the particles within the solid can’t react, until those on the surface have reacted and moved away.  Magnesium powder has a greater surface area then lumps of Magnesium so there will be more successful collisions.

Increasing the pressure on the reaction between gases will increase the rate of reaction.  By doing this the particles will move closer.  The closer the particles are there will be more collisions.

Increasing the ...

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