Chemistry coursework
How the concentration of an acid affects the rate of reaction
Prediction
For a reaction to take place there must be enough energy for the particles to collide & react. So as the concentration increases so will the rate of reaction because there are more acid particles in the solution for the magnesium to collide & react with. Therefore I think the rate of reaction will speed up as the concentration gets higher, for instance 1M will react twice as fast as 0.5m.
Plan
I will set up the apparatus as shown in the diagram below. I will be reacting magnesium with sulphuric acid to test if the concentration of an acid affects the reaction time. I will use molars between 0M & 1M for my initial trial run. I will measure the rate of reaction using a conical cylinder with a rubber bung & a gas syringe. I will then time how long it takes to fill up to 100cc of gas. I will repeat each concentration 3 times then take a average so I get more accurate results, I will repeat any anomaly’s I get so I will get my final results as accurate as possible. I will use five different concentrations so I can gather a good range of data.
Fair test
I will have only one variable so I can relate all changes in the experiment to that one thing – in this test I am changing the concentration of the acid. However I must also monitor several other things that could alter my results.