CHEMICAL KINETICS: THE IODINE CLOCK REACTION

R. CABASAN[1]
1
DEPARTMENT OF FOOD SCIENCE AND NUTRITION, COLLEGE OF HOME ECONOMICS
UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES, DILIMAN, QUEZON CITY 1101, PHILIPPINES
DATE SUBMITTED: 27 FEBRUARY 2015
DATE PERFORMED: 11 FEBRUARY 2015

ABSTRACT
The iodine clock reaction was used to examine the relation of temperature, concentration of
reactants, and the presence of a catalyst with the rate of reaction of a solution. Five different
runs was used in the experiment with each run involving the reaction of mixtures A and B.
Mixture A and B were mixed and timed until the mixture turned deep blue. The use of initial
rate method was to determine the rate law of the reaction between [I -] and [S2O82-] and the
resulting rate order is a first order with respect to both Iodide and Persulfate. The rate law is:
rate = k[S2O82-][I-]. CuSO4 served as a catalyst and sped up the reaction by providing an
alternative pathway which requires a lower activation energy thus, a faster reaction. The use
of Arrhenius equation was made to solve for the Arrhenius constant and activation energy for
reactions with varying temperatures. The calculated values for Arrhenius constant and
activation energy are 1.4x105 sec-1 and 37.12 kj/mol respectively. Possible errors might come
from method, instrumental, and systematic errors.

INTRODUCTION
A clock reaction is any chemical reaction
where no visible change occurs for a period
of time, until a sudden change happens
unexpectedly [1]. This experiment makes
use of the iodine clock reaction, where a
mixture of two colorless solutions remains
colorless for a short time and then suddenly
turns dark blue [2]. This reaction is
explained by the following chemical
equations:
S O + 2I 2SO + I (slow) (1)
2S O + I S O + 2I (fast) (2)
2

28

23

24

they turned blue. Some of the runs were

subjected to different variables such as
varying temperatures and the addition of
catalyst.
To determine the relationship
concentration of the reactant
reaction rate, the Initial rates
should be applied, wherein it uses
law:

of the
to the
method
the rate

Rate = k[A]m[B]n (3)

There were five different runs in this

experiment, with each run involving the
reaction of mixtures A and B. Mixture A
contained varying volumes of 0.2 M Ki and
0.2 M KCl, while mixture B consisted of 3
drops of freshly prepared starch and varying
volumes of 0.1 M K2S2O8, 0.1 M K2SO4, and
4mM Na2S2O3. All reactons were timed until

Where k is the rate constant, [A] and [B] are

the concentration fo the reactants, and m
and n are the order of the reaction with
respect to [A] and [B] respectively.
Furthermore, in equation 2 above, rate law
describes the dependence of rate on the
concentration of the reactants. This means
that the concentration of [I-] and [S2O82-] is

directly proportional to the reaction rate.

On the other hand, to determine
the
relationship between temperature and
reaction rate, the Arrhenius equation should
be applied:
k = Ae

-Ea/RT

(4)

Where k is the rate constant, A is the

Arrhenius constant, Ea is the activation
energy, R is the gas constant and T is
temperature in terms of Kelvin.
With this, the objective of the experiment
was
to
determine
the
effect
of
concentration, varying temperature, and
catalyst on the reaction rate of the
persulfate-iodide system.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Table 1. Effect of
Reaction Rate
[S2O82 [I-]
[S2O32-]
]
1 0.0
0.0
0.008
2M 8M M
2 0.0
0.0
0.008
2M 4M M
3 0.0
0.0
0.008
2M 2M M
4 0.0
0.0
0.008
3M 4M M
5 0.0
0.0
0.008
4M 4M M

Concentration

on

Time,
s
47.30

Rate, M s-1

102.50

3.90x10-5

134.16

2.98x10-5

101.90

3.93x10-5

41.17

9.72x10-5

8.46x10-5

Table 1 shows the varying concentrations of

[I-] and [S2O82-], the reaction time, and the
reaction rate for each run. From the given
data, higher concentrations of [S2O82-] and
[I-] are more favored in this reaction which
is based on the rate law (3) that shows that
the concentration of the reactant is directly
proportional with the rate of the reaction.
In the reaction a transition from colorless
state to a blue complex solution was seen.

The purpose of the thiosulfate that was

added was to consume the I2 formed from
the reaction of persulfate and iodide as can
be seen in equations (1) and (2). Once all
the thiosulfate has reacted, I2 then will react
with starch to form a blue complex [3].
The next thing that was needed to be done
was finding the order of the reaction. In this
experiment, the initial rate method was
performed to obtain the reaction orders.
Initial rate method makes use of the rate
law (3).
Rate = k[A]m[B]n
Sample calculations were provided in
Appendix A. After the calculation of the
reaction
orders
of
each
reactants(Peroxodisulfate (VI) ion and Iodide
ion), the rate law found for the whole
reaction was
Rate = k[S2O82-][I-] (5)
After each reaction rate was known, the
rate constant was the derived using the
rate law. The overall order of the reaction
obtained is 2 from the sum of variable m
being 1 and n being 1.
Table 2. Effect of Temperature on the
Reaction Rate and Rate Constant
Run 2
Temp. (K) Rate, M Rate
s-1
constant
-5
Set 1
300.65
3.90x10
0.04815
Set 2
273.15
9.04x10-6 0.0113
Set 3
337.15
2.01x10-4 0.25125
Table 2 shows the different set-ups of Run 2
placed in varying temperature. Set 1 was in
room temperature. Set 2 was put in an ice
bath while Set 3 was exposed in a hot bath.
From this data, it demonstrates that as the
temperature increases, the reaction rate
increases as well as the rate constant.
Higher temperatures are favored by
reactions due to higher degree of collisions
as explained by the Arrhenius equation [4].
Whenever experiments occur in different
temperature, Activation energy (Ea) and
Arrhenius constant (A) are significant and
are always involved. Energy of activation

(Ea) refers to the minimum energy

requirement for a reaction to occur. Thus,
reactions with low Ea have faster rates. On
the other hand, the Arrhenius constant (A)
refers to the frequency of successful
molecule collisions which means faster
reaction rates happen when the degree of
collision is high [4].
In the experiment the calculated Ea in the
experiment was 37.12 kJ/mol and the
Arrhenius constant is 1.4x105 sec-1.
Figure 2. Pathway
uncatalyzed reaction.

ln K vs. 1/T
0
f(x) = - 0x + 0
R = 1

0
0
0

-5

-4.5

-4

-3.5

-3

-2.5

-2

-1.5

0
-1

Figure 1. Graph of plot ln K vs. 1/T

With the use
of linear regression, the
calculated equation of the line of the plot ln
k vs 1/T is:
y= -0.0002x + 0.0027 (6)
2
with an r value of 0.999719622.
Table 3. Effect of Catalyst on the Reaction
Rate
Run 2
Temp. (K) Rate, M Rate
s-1
constant
Set
4 300.65
1.08x10-3 1.35
(with
CuSO4
Table 3 shows the effect of catalyst on the
reaction rate. In this experiment, CuSO 4
served as the catalyst and it obviously sped
up the reaction rate by providing an
alternative pathway for a reaction. The
alternative pathway has a lower activation
energy and thus proceeding the reaction
faster [4].

of

catalyzed

and

Looking at the chemical reaction (1)(2) and

the rate law for this experiment (5), it
provided a 2 step reaction(one slow, one
fast), and it provided a second overall order
of reaction with a 1st order with respect to
[I-] and [S2O82-]. One proposed mechanism
for that is consistent with the experiments
rate law is:
(Proposed Mechanism 3)
I
+ S2O82-(aq) (slow) *[IS2O8]3-(aq)
*[IS2O8]3-(aq) + I- (fast) I2(aq) + 2 SO42-(aq)
(aq)

Solving for the rate of this mechanism, it is

equal to: rate = k[I-][S2O82-], which is very
similar with the experiments rate law (5).
Although the 1st proposed mechanism also
provides a slow and fast step, solving its
rate law would give rate = k[I -]2 which is not
consistent with the calculated rate law.
Compared to other studies, the researchers
results were slightly different. It may be
possibly due to the errors obtained in the
experiment. One possible error committed
by the researcher was the use of a wet
beaker. Persulfate or iodide solutions can be
diluted which will lead to a slower reaction
[3]. Another would be the use of two
different beakers. A wider beaker needs a
higher amount of starch-iodine complex to
cover the beaker because of its bigger area.
Hence, a wider beaker will result to a lower
rate [3]. Another would be having two
different observers. The one with a sharper
eyesight will see the appearance of the
complex longer than the one with poor

eyesight. Hence, a slower reaction will be

observed for the first and faster for the
second [3]. Also, one possible error is by
stirring the solution. By stirring the solution,
there would be an increase in the degree of
collision thus a faster reaction rate [4]. Last
possible error would be not using freshly
prepared persulfate/thiosulfate solution.
Persulfate/thiosulfate
can
undergo
+
degradation because of the H and sulfur
degrading bacteria present in the solution.
This translates to a lower reaction rate [3].
CONCLUSIONS
The concepts of chemical kinetics were well
shown by the different portions in this
experiment.
Higher
concentration
of
reactants, higher temperature, and the
presence of catalyst definitely allowed the
reaction rate to be faster. Iodide was the
excess reactant in the reaction, causing it to
react with starch resulting to a deep blue
color.

REFERENCES
[1] Zumdahl, S.S., 1986. Chemistry 7th
Edition, 473-514
[2] Whitten, K., et al. 2007. Chemistry.
United States of America: Thomson Brooks
Cole. 633
[3] Skoog, D.A., 1992. Fundamentals of
Analytical Chemistry, 6th Edition.
[4] Silberberg, M.S., 2010. Principles of
General Chemistry, 2nd Edition. McGraw-Hill,
529-532

All of the objectives were successfully

achieved using the data gathered. The
initial rate method was used in determining
the rate law of the equation which is: rate =
k[S2O82-][I-]. The experiment was able to
determine the effects of the factors on the
rate of reaction. The calculated rate
constant is 0.053925.
With the use of Arrhenius equation the
energy activation and Arrhenius constant
was found, which is 37.12 kJ/mol and
1.4x105 sec-1 respectively.
This study recommends that a statistical
tool such as pooled standard deviation be
used so as to know how disperse the sets of
data are.