Rates of Reaction Coursework - Epsom salts

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Rates of Reaction Coursework: Epsom salts

Aim:

To find to what extent certain factors speed up the rate of the first reaction involved with making ‘Epsom Salts. There are four possible factors that could be used to increase the rate of this reaction involving Magnesium and Sulphuric acid to produce Epsom salts.

Preliminary Research:

Magnisium: Scientific definition and uses:

Magnisium is a chemical element, one of the alkaline earth metals of the main group IIa of the periodic table, lightest structural metal. Known originally through compounds such as Epsom salts (sulphate), magnesia (the oxide) and magnesia Alba (the carbonate) the silvery white element itself does not occur in a pure form. It was isolated in 1808 by Sir Humphry Davy, who evaporated mercury from a magnisium amalgam and made by electrolyzing.

Magnesium is the eighth most abundant element in the earths crust (2.5%) distributed in minerals; sea water also contains 0.13% magnisium but mostly as dissolved chloride which gives the bitter taste of sea water. It is also found in body cells.

Magnesium was originally commercially produced for photography flash ribbon and powder, incendiary bombs. Its light weight has made its use in the aerospace industry, but because of its weak structure it has been made into alloys, mostly with zinc and aluminum and manganese to improve its hardness,, tensile strength, resistance to se water corrosion, and ability to be cast, welded and machined. These alloys are used in parts of aircraft, missiles, spacecraft, machinery, automobiles, portable tools and house hold appliances.

Sulphuric Acid: Scientific definition and uses:

Sulfuric acid also called oil of vitriol, or hydrogen sulfate, is a dense colorless, oily corrosive liquid; one o the most important of al chemicals, prepared industrially by the reaction of water with sulfur trioxide. In various concentrations s the acid is used in the manufacture of fertilizers, pigments, dyes, drugs, explosives, detergents and inorganic salts and acid, as well as in petroleum refining metallurgic processes. In one of the most common uses sulphuric acid is used as the electrolyte in the lead-acid storage batteries.

Epsom salts (MgSO4): Scientific definition and uses:

Epsom salts or magnisium sulfate (MgSO4) is a colorless crystalline substance formed by the reaction of magnesium hydroxide with sulfur dioxide and air. A hydrate form of magnesium sulfate called kieserite, MgSO4.H20 occurs as a mineral deposit; synthetically prepared magnesium sulfate is sold as Epsom salts, MgSO4.7H2O. Magnesium sulfate has varied applications. In industry it is used in the manufacture of cements and in gardening to:

  • To increase grass health
  • To provide minerals for pants
  • To provide better flower blooms

It can be used in tanning and dying; in medicine it serves as:

  • A purgative
  • A laxative
  • To reduce swelling from bruises
  • To reduce pain resulting from insect bites
  • To reduce the effects of minor scrapes

It is also used in beauty to:

  • Reduce blocked pores
  • To soften dry skin patches

Introduction:

In this experiment we are seeing how the concentration of our chosen variable (sulphuric acid) can affect the rate of reaction in the chemical reaction:

Magnesium + Sulphuric Acid  Magnesium Sulphide + Hydrogen

   Mg     +    H2So4            MgSO4          +   H2                                  

By changing the concentration of the sulphuric acid we will see if the changing of this variable will affect the rate at witch the products are released. I will attempt to determine this by tracing the volume of Hydrogen released as the experiment progresses.  

I will set up an experiment in a reasonable way to get accurate results to collect these results to enable me to get a good set of accurate results with as little anomalies as possible.  

This experiment is used to create Epsom salts (MgSO4) These have many modern day uses and are produced in the modern world of today. The other product Hydrogen also has its uses but they are ‘mostly’ industrial.

Variables:

There are three main variables that are available for me to test in this experiment, the first is the temperature; possibly best variable to test with because it offers a wide range of tests available to do with the feasible testing range. It will also offer accurate results. The problem with using temperature as my variable is that it is much more time consuming than the other variables because it requires heating or cooling the solution for the experiment prior to the reaction for a fair test.

I could also use surface area as my variable; this is one of the worst but easiest variables to use. It is bad to use because with the equipment available I can only have 3 different surface areas, giving limited results that are more prone to anomalies. But it is easy to do and quick to finish the experiments.

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The final variable is concentration and my one of choice because of its wide enough range of available concentrations to test, easy to carry out the experiments and to get accurate results in the time allocated.

Basic Method-Epsom Salts:

  1. 1. Place the magnesium into dilute, cold sulphuric acid; Hydrogen should be given off. When the reaction stops excess magnisium should remain.
  2. Remove excess magnesium using a filter. The remaining substance is the magnesium sulphate solution.
  3. Gently Heat the magnesium sulphate solution to evaporate off any excess water. The result is a ...

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