Formal Practical 3: Rate Of Reaction And Temperature.

This needs to be in your lab books for 22/1/16 ( next week Friday)
You can use this sheet during the experiment and to make notes but it must be in
the lab books later.
The practical tests these skills:

Following a general procedure

Can you measure volumes and temperatures correctly?
Can you collect a range of data for an investigation?
Can you make decisions to help you accurately measure the time of
reaction?
Do you use heating equipment sensibly to get reliable temperatures?
(means the temperature doesnt change much during the measurements.
Can you use safety procedures (here it is the stop bath)
Writing a conclusion and explaining your results
Suggesting improvements.

Background:
You will investigate the effect of temperature on the rate of reaction between
sodium thiosulphate (Na2 S2O3 and dilute hydrochloric acid (HCl)
Na2S2O3(aq) + 2HCl(aq) SO2 (g) + NaCl(aq) + S (s)
Sulphur is produced (S). This is insoluble in water.
We can find the rate of reaction if we measure the time for a certain amount of
sulphur to be made.
The solution turns cloudy.
The time of reaction can be found for different temperatures.
The rate of reaction is proportional to 1/t
You are expected to record your data in a table during the experiment.
Here is a suggested table that you can place in the lab books but you can design
your own
Temperature
( )

Time ( s) +

% error in
time

1/Time [s-1]

Percentage in
1/t

SAFETY as soon as each reaction is finished, pour it into the stop bath
this prevents SO2 fumes building up in the lab.
Procedure: one method is shown in the diagram
Before, design a table to record: temperature, time, 1 time, and include
uncertainties and appropriate significant figures.
Read the method, and then do a rough trial at room temperature before you begin!
1/t is to 3 significant figures.
1) Use two boiling tubes, labeled A
and B
2) Place a spot somewhere on the
400 ml beaker.
3) Clamp tube A in the beaker. Fill
the beaker full with tap water.
4) Measure 10 cm3 of sodium
thiosulphate and place it in tube
A.
5) Measure out 10 cm 3 of acid
(HCl) and place in tube B.
6) Some time during the next steps
check the temperature: do you
find the temperature of A or B?
When do you measure it?
7) Start the timer and mix the two
solutions.
8) When you think the reaction is over, stop the timer.
9) Immediately pour the solution into the bath provided this is
important!
10)
Record the times in your table.
11)
Repeat the experiment at different temperatures.
How will you heat the 400ml water bath? (kettle and cold water mixed? Bunsen
burner?)
Try and collect a range of temperatures but think:
How will you keep the temperature constant?
12)
One idea is 5 degrees between temperatures.
DO NOT HEAT OVER 55o C- this is very unsafe- SO2 is produced quickly.
Analysis:
What is a fair error in reading the time?
Calculate 1/t - put it in the table in your books

% error =
(reading error
100 )
reading

Calculate the percentage errors in the time, volumes and 1/t (same as for t), and
temperature.
% error in Time for room temperature
% error for 1/t for room temperature:

% error in temperature reading:

% error in volume:
Which percentage error is the most largest?
Plot a labeled graph of temperature and rate of reaction (1/t (oC-1)
Conclusion:
Write a conclusion. What does your graph show?
Are there any anomalies (outliers, data that doesnt fit the trend)? State the values
Use values from the graph to show the trend.
We are using 1/t as proportional to rate of reaction but what assumptions allow us to
say that rate is proportional to 1/t?
Explain why temperature has an effect on the rate of reaction.

Evaluation:
What are the sources of error in your experiment?
What improvements can you make?
Explain at least one of the improvements: how exactly would it make your experiment
results more reliable?

Write a report for next Friday: It needs to be in the lab book

Use the photocopies of your old experiments to help you plan your work.
1) Aim: to determine how the rate of a chemical reaction is affected by
temperature.
2) Materials and Method do not copy and
explain exactly how you did everything.
A diagram is a good idea.
3) Results (table), graph
4) Analysis (include all calculations, like 1/t and percentage errors)
5) Conclusion
6) Evaluation.

you have a copy of the old experiments to look at? If yes you must bring
them back!