Typical rate of reaction experiments
Metals with dilute acid
We can use a gas syringe to measure the reaction of metals with dilute acid. When zinc reacts with hydrochloric acid it produces zinc chloride and hydrogen gas.
We can measure the rate of the reaction by measuring how fast the reaction produces hydrogen. This requires a conical flask and gas syringe.
Zn + HCl 鈫 ZnCl2 + H2
Calcium carbonate with dilute acid
Similarly, when calcium carbonate reacts with dilute hydrochloric acid, it produces carbon dioxide gas. We can measure the rate of the reaction by measuring how fast the reaction produces carbon dioxide. This requires a conical flask and gas syringe.
CaCO3+ HCl 鈫 CaCl2 + CO2 + H2O
Catalytic decomposition of hydrogen peroxide
Hydrogen peroxide decomposes in the presence of a A substance that increases the rate of a chemical reaction without being used up. like manganese dioxide, iron, or copper(II)oxide to produce oxygen and water. We can measure how each catalyst affects the rate of the reaction by measuring how fast it produces oxygen. The same apparatus is used 鈥 alternatively you can replace the gas syringe with a measuring cylinder filled with water and inverted in a trough of water.
2H2O2 鈫 O2 + 2H2O
Sodium thiosulfate with acid
Sodium thiosulfate reacts with dilute hydrochloric acid to produce sodium chloride, water, sulfur dioxide and sulfur. The sulfur makes the solution change to opaque and if the conical flask is placed over an X drawn on a piece of paper we can measure the time taken for the X not to be visible when viewed from above. \( \frac {1}{time}\) gives a measure of the rate of the reaction.