INTRODUCTION

Chemical kinetics is about the rate of the reaction and also the steps or the mechanism
of the reaction. The rate of reaction depends on the temperature, catalyst, and concentration of
the reactant. Measure the rate of reaction by disappearance of reactant or appearance of

product divide by time. It can be shown in this equation

dc
dt

The sum of the individual orders of reaction in each species is an overall order of
reaction. So the reaction rate is directly proportional to the concentration of the reactant or
product of the reaction. In this experiment, we need to determine the rate constant of
hydrolysis of methyl acetate by experiment. From the rate law of the first order reaction that
depends on only the concentration of one reactant. We need to differentiate the equation of the
dc
=kt
rate law of the first order dt

. Where c represents concentration, to represent time,

and k is rate constant.

dc
=k ( ax )
From the first order reaction, we can simplify it to dt
. (a-x) is
representing the decreasing of the concentration of reactant from the initial concentration of

reactant after a time, t. Then we integrate the equation and became

a
=kt
. By
ax

rearranging the equation, we can get ( ax ) =kt+ a . Thus, the graph of the first order
reaction which is In (a-x) versus time,t is a straight line with gradient, -k. An alternative way
can be used instead of concentration of reactant. The quantities can be used to replace the
concentration in the equation.
In order to get a positive gradient, we can use the Arrhenius equation that the rate
constant increase exponentially with the temperature. This relationship can be shown in this

equation

k =Aexp (

Ea
)
. Where A is pre-exponential factor and Ea is activation energy of
RT

reaction.
1

To investigate the rate constant of the reaction from the graph and also from the rate law
of the first order reaction equation.

MATERIALS
Apparatus:

Conical flask
Burette
Pipette
Stop watch
Water bath

Chemical:
> Methyl acetate
> 0.5M of HCl
> 0.1M of NaOH
> Phenolphthalein indicator

PROCEDURE
1. 100 mL of HCl was put in the conical flask with stopper and placed the conical flask in
the water bath.
2. 5 mL of methyl acetate was put in another conical flask with stopper and placed the
conical flask in the same water bath of HCl.
3. While waiting the temperature of HCl and methyl acetate equilibrium with the water
bath, burette was filled with NaOH.
4. The temperature of the water bath was recorded at intervals of 15 minutes until it reaches
the room temperature.
5. When the temperature of the solutions and water bath are equilibrium, the two solutions
were mixed together in one conical flask and the conical flask was shaken in the water
bath.
6. The time of the reaction was recorded as initial time for the reaction(

t0

) in measuring

the reaction time (t).

7. The pipette was used to take the 5 mL of the mixture and the mixture was added to the
250 mL conical flask that containing 25 mL of icy water.
8. The time was recorded as a time of reaction, t.
9. 3 drops of phenolphthalein indicator were added to the mixture and quickly the mixture
was titrated with NaOH until the pink color appeared.
10. The mixture of methyl acetate and HCl was take 5 mL in every time interval: 10, 20, 30,
45, 60, and 80 minutes and the same steps were followed (steps 7 and 8)
2

11. The remaining mixture was boiled to complete the reaction and was cooled down to room
temperature.
12. The boiled mixture was repeated twice by following the steps 7 and 8.
RESULT AND DISCUSSION
From the table 1, the volume of sodium hydroxide was consumed is increased. This
showed that the concentration of the acid was increasing with time during the reaction occur
until the reaction was completed. From the volume of sodium hydroxide that neutralizes the
acid in the solution, we can find the rate constant of reaction by using the equation from the
rate law of first order reaction and also from the graph.
Table 1: Volume Of NaOH consumed
Time,t
(s)

Difference,
V V
t (mL)

Volume
of
solution
taken
(mL)

22.85

5.00

10

20.95

5.00

20

20.75

5.00

30

19.55

5.00

45

18.15

5.00

60

18.05

5.00

80

15.45

5.00

0.05

5.00

0.00

5.00

Burette
reading
(mL)
Initial

Volume
of NaOH
consumed
(mL)

a=V V

Final

Final
0.50
28.7
0
7.00
37.1
0
4.00
34.3
0
1.50
33.0
0
0.60
33.5
0
0.10
34.0
0
1.80
37.4
0
0.30
50.0
7.50
0
8.80
0.10
50.0
4.10
0
5.30

In(
V V t

= 22.85 mL
3

a
* k = ax
t

(min-1)
28.20

3.13

30.10

3.04

8.68 103

30.30

3.03

4.82 103

31.50

2.97

5.20 10

32.90

2.90

5.12 103

33.00

2.89

3.93 10

35.60

2.73

4.89 103

51.00

51.10

( ax ) =V V t

V = Volume of NaOH consumed after completing the reaction (boiled) = 50.05

mL
V = Volume of NaOH consumed during the initial titration (t=0) = 28.20 mL

V t = Volume of NaOH consumed each of the titration (t=10, 20, 30, 45, 60, 80)

The temperature during the experiment = 22.7

and 100

(to complete the

reaction)
3
1
Mean of the rate constant of reaction = 5.44 10 min

Based on the figure 1, we can find the gradient of the graph which is 0.0580. This
value referred to the rate constant of the reaction. Whereas the r square value refers to the
accuracy of the graph. The value of r square is 0.934, which is near to 1. This showed that the
graph is given a precise and accurate result.
3.2
3.1

f(x) = - 0.06x + 3.19

R = 0.93

3.0
2.9

Volume of NaOH (mL)

2.8
Volume of NaOH
2.7

Linear (Volume of NaOH)

2.6
2.5

10

20

30
Time (s)

Figure 1: Volume of NaOH versus Time.

4

45

60

80

Methyl acetate can be hydrolysis by using water and produce ethanoic acid and
methanol. Hydrolysis of methyl acetate by using water only gives a very slow reaction, so we
need a catalyst to increase the rate of the reaction. Acid can be used as a catalyst in order to
hydrolysis methyl acetate.
In this experiment, we use hydrochloride acid as a catalyst. Hydrochloride acid is an
aqueous solution which has contained water. So by mixing the methyl acetate and
hydrochloride acid, the reaction can occur, producing ethanoic acid and methanol.
H+
CH3COOCH3(aq) + H2O(l)

CH3COOH(aq) + CH3OH(aq)

To make the reaction occur, hydronium ions really need in order to donate a proton to
methyl acetate. The hydronium ion can be obtained from the hydrochloride acid react with
water and forming hydronium ion and chloride ion. The methyl acetate became electrophilic
when it gets a proton from hydronium ion. The positive charge is attacked by a lone pair of
oxygen from the water molecule. The transfer of proton happens during this stage to form
stable carbocation. Then molecule of methanol lost from the ion and it became one of the
products. Other hydrogen is removed from the oxygen of the ion by reacting with water
molecule and form another product which is ethanoic acid.
The hydrochloride is added in excess amount into the methyl acetate, so the reaction
will undergo into a complete reaction which is more to product. So the final result will be the
concentration of the product is same with the concentration of the initial of reactant. The icy
water was used is to stop the reaction of hydrolysis by freezing the reaction so that our
readings could not interrupt during the titration. Titrate the mixture with sodium hydroxide is
to neutralize the acid presence in the solution which are hydrochloride acid and acetic acid.
The last step is boiling the leftover solution to complete the reaction.
According to the result of rate constant that we obtain from the graph (0.00544 min -1)
and equation (0.0582 min-1), there are a big difference between the gradient of the graph
which is the rate constant and also the rate constant from the equation. In the graph, we only
consider the concentration of reactant in the solution during the reaction with time while, in
the equation, we included the initial concentration of reactant in every calculation to find the
rate constant. These reasons give us a very big difference of the rate constant of the reaction
from the graph and also the equation. Therefore, the rate constant from the equation is more
5

accurate than the graph. This is because the equation considers the initial concentration of
reactant and compare with the concentration of the reactant during the reaction.
Every data that we obtained is not very accurate and precise. There are many errors
that we make during the experiment. First, an error that occurs during measurement is
parallax error. This error happens when our eyes does not in perpendicular with the scale, so
the data that we collect is not accurate. Second, during the titration, we need to make sure the
reaction is really stops by using the icy water. So it is very important to make sure the
solution is cold during titration. Third, personal errors also happen during the titration. The
color change during the titration depends on the person to consider it changes or not. Forth,
the instrument error happens when the conical flask is not close well, so that the solution can
be evaporated during the reaction. This also will affect our data.

CONCLUSION
The rate constant of the reaction can be determined by using the rate law of the first
order and also by finding the slope of graph of volume NaOH versus time. In this report, both
the results were not very accurate because of errors during the experiment. From the equation,
3

5.44 10 min

we got

and from the graph was

0.058 min

. The results were different

because the formula used in the graph is different from the formula in the equation.

REFERENCES
Website:
UC Davis Chemwiki (2015). The Rate Law. Retrieved
From the UC Davis Chemwiki website :
http://chemwiki.ucdavis.edu/Physical_Chemistry/Kinetics/Rate_Laws/
The_Rate_Law
Davidson. Edu (2014). Chemical Kinetics Differential Rate Laws. Retrieved

From the David N. Blauch website

http://www.chm.davidson.edu/vce/kinetics/differentialratelaws.html
Book with Single Author:
B. P. Levitt (1972). Findlays practical physical chemistry ninth edition
revised and edited by B. P. Levitt. Imperical College, London : Longman

INTERNATIONAL
ISLAMIC UNIVERSITY
MALAYSIA
KULLIYYAH OF SCIENCE

SCH 1023
PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY
I
EXPERIMENT 3: CHEMICAL KINETICS
7

LECTURERS
NAME:
ROSLIZA MOHD SALIM

ASST.

PROF.

DR.

NABIILAH BINTI MAT YUSOFF

1414578
WAN EMANINA BINTI WAN ABDULLAH 1410848