An investigation into the effects on the rate of reaction between hydrochloric acid and magnesium ribbon.

     Mg(s)                 2HCl(aq)                                 MgCl2(aq)                         H2(s)

Method:

              First fill a conical flash with 50 ml of hydrochloric acid, place your 2 cm long strip of magnesium ribbon into the hydrochloric acid and place the bung on immediately.  Start the clock.  The level of hydrochloric acid will go down as the reaction takes place, this is the water being turned into hydrogen.  When the level of hydrochloric acid goes down to 20 ml stop the clock and record the results.  Repeat this experiment three times and record the results in the results table.  Do the same experiment with 80%, 60%, 40% and 20% concentration of hydrochloric acid.  Repeat each experiment three times and write down the results.

Key Variables:

                          The two main key variables are: from coursewrok work info

                                                                        Temperature

                                                                        Concentration

In this investigate the key variable I will be concentrating on is concentration.

 

Apparatus:

 

• Water
• Beaker
• Stop clock
• Conical flask
• Hydrochloric acid
• Magnesium Ribbon

• 2 Measuring Cylinders

• Glass tube

 

Hydrochloric acid concentration

 

 

Fair Test:

                I will make sure this experiment is a fair test by making sure that the only variable that is changed is the concentration of hydrochloric acid.  I will also make sure that the length of Magnesium Ribbon is the same in every experiment.  In every experiment I will use the same ruler, stopwatch and measuring cylinder to ensure it is a fair test.

 

Safety:

            Wear safety goggles because you are dealing with hydrochloric acid, which is very dangerous and harmful to skin.  Be careful and make sure all spillages are mopped up.

 

Results Tables:

 

Numbers in bold italics are anomalies and not included in my averages

 

Rate of Reaction:

 

 

Conclusion:

                   As a conclusion to this experiment I can say that the results matched my original predictions.  This means that the concentration of the reactant (hydrochloric acid) does have an effect on the reaction between Magnesium Ribbon and Hydrochloric acid.  The higher the concentration of Hydrochloric acid when mixed with Magnesium Ribbon, the more successful the reaction is, and that means the higher concentration the faster the rate of reaction.

 

Evaluation:

                   There were four anomalies in my results for this experiment.  I think this might have happened because the magnesium ribbon was not cut accurately enough, or because the stop clock didn work properly.

 

I don think there were enough anomalies to stop me from drawing a good conclusion to this experiment.

 

I think the only way I could have improved my experiment and results is by have more accurate equipment and by concentrating more when I was carrying out the experiment.

 

In order to extend this experiment I could have changed the other key variable (the temperature).  I could then compare my results and analyse the two.  I could also try out other experiments, changing more than just one key variable.