KYAMBOGO UNIVERSITY

FACULTY OF SCIENCE

DEPARTMENT OF CHEMISTRY

BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN CHEMICAL ENGINEERING

YEAR 2, SEMESTER 1

PRACTICALS

LECTURER; Mrs Nalule Shakira

NAME; WAVAMUNNO LAWRENCE

SIGNATURE…………

ADMISSION NUMBER; 15/U/5251/CHD/PD

 2

TITLE: ORDER OF REACTION IN CHEMICAL KINETICS

AIM: TO DETERMINE THE ORDER THE ORDER OF

REACTION USING INITIAL RATES

INTRODUCTION:

The order of reaction with respect to a given substance, tells us the functional
relationship between concentration and rate of reaction. There are different
methods on how to find the order of reaction. There is the method of Initial
rates and the method of using the integrated rate equation to mention but a few.

With the method of Initial rates, the concentrations of the chemicals are varied
and from this, the individual reaction rates are determined. In each case, a
ratio of concentrations is set up to make a rate law for the given reaction. This
method involves measuring the initial rate of reaction, which is determined by
the initial concentration of ions

In this experiment, the investigation was based on different mixtures of

potassium iodide, sulphuric acid and hydrogen peroxide as shown below.

THEORY:
The order of the addition of the mixtures is shown in the procedure, well as the
equations of reaction are as follows;
2− − 2−
𝐼2(𝑠) + 2𝑆2 𝑂3(𝑎𝑞) → 2𝐼(𝑎𝑞) + 𝑆4 𝑂6(𝑎𝑞)

− +
2𝐼(𝑎𝑞) + 2𝐻(𝑎𝑞) + 𝐻2 𝑂2(𝑎𝑞) → 𝐼2(𝑠) + 2𝐻2 𝑂(𝑙)

And the rate law is expressed as;

𝑅𝑎𝑡𝑒 = 𝑘[𝐼 − ]𝑝 [[𝐻+ ]𝑞 [𝐻2 𝑂2 ]𝑟

‘𝑘’ is the rate constant. p, q and r are the orders of reaction with respect to 𝐼 − ,
𝐻+ and 𝐻2 𝑂 res pectively. The overall order of reaction equals to the
summation p+q+n.

15/U/5251/CHD/PD
 3

The order maybe fractional but it’s usually a simple integer and may be zero.
To measure the order with respect to one reactant, for example keeping the
concentrations of 𝐻+ and 𝐻2 𝑂2 constant and vary Iodine, the initial rate will be
proportional to 𝐼 − that is to say KI.

If the reaction rate is unchanged when the concentration is changed, the order
is zero (zeroth order).

Here, orders of reaction cannot be predicted from the chemical equation of the
reaction. They have to be determined experimentally in each case. The order
of reaction helps us to work out the mechanisms of a reaction.

REQUIREMENTS AND CHEMICALS:

0.05M Hydrogen peroxide
0.05M potassium iodide
2M sulphuric acid
0.01M sodium thiosulphate
0.2% Starch indicator
10cm3 pipette
Measuring cylinder
250cm3 Conical flasks (2)
Thermometer
Stop clock

PROCEDURE:
The following mixtures were made up:

Starch /cm3 KI/cm3 𝐻2 𝑆𝑂4 /cm3 𝐻2 𝑂/cm3 𝑁𝑎2 𝑆2 𝑂3 /cm3 𝐻2 𝑂2 /cm3

A 1 6 6 1 1 6
B 1 4 6 3 1 6
C 1 2 6 5 1 6
D 1 6 4 3 1 6
E 1 6 2 5 1 6
F 1 6 6 3 1 4
G 1 6 6 5 1 2

Each row adding up to 21cm3.

15/U/5251/CHD/PD
 4

There were three sets for carrying out this experiment;

Set I; Mixtures A, B, C KI varying
Set II; Mixtures A, D, E 𝐻2 𝑆𝑂4 varying
Set II; Mixtures A, F, G 𝐻2 𝑂2 varying

Set II was the mixture that was used to carry out the experiment as explained
below.

To a conical flask, 1cm3 of water was added, followed by 6cm3 of potassium

iodide.

In the same conical flask, 6cm3 of sulphuric acid, followed by 1cm3 of starch
and 1cm3 of sodium thiosulphate was added.

6cm3 of hydrogen peroxide was then also added while a stop clock was started
instantaneously since the reaction would start when the peroxide is added. The
times at which the mixture turned blue (𝑡1 ) were recorded and another
duplicate value (𝑡2 ) noted too. The other values of sodium thiosulphate,
starch, potassium iodide and hydrogen peroxide were kept constant
throughout, but sulphuric acid and water were varied.

RESULTS AND OBSERVATIONS:

TABLE OF RESULTS
Starch /cm3 KI/cm3 𝐻2 𝑆𝑂4/cm3 𝐻2 𝑂/cm3 𝑁𝑎2 𝑆2 𝑂3/cm3 𝐻2 𝑂2/cm3 𝑡1 /s 𝑡2 /s 𝑡1 +𝑡2
/s
1
/(s-1)
2 𝑡
A 1 6 6 1 1 6 34 32 33 0.03
B 1 4 6 3 1 6 43 41 42 0.02
C 1 2 6 5 1 6 54 52 53 0.01

CALCULATION:

For the first row (A) we had;

1000cm3 of 𝐻2 𝑆𝑂4 contains 0.3moles

0.3𝑥6
6cm3 of 𝐻2 𝑆𝑂4 contains moles= 0.0018moles
1000

15/U/5251/CHD/PD
 5

Total volume is 21cm3 which is also the case for all rows.

21cm3 of solution contains 0.0018moles

0.0018𝑥1000
1000cm3 of 𝐻2 𝑆𝑂4 contains moles= 0.0857M
21

For the second row (D), we had;

1000cm3 of 𝐻2 𝑆𝑂4 contains 0.3moles

0.3𝑥4
4cm3 of 𝐻2 𝑆𝑂4 contains moles= 0.0012moles
1000
Then;

21cm3 of solution contains 0.0012moles

0.0012𝑥1000
1000cm3 of solution contains moles= 0.0571M
21

For the third row (E) we also had;

1000cm3 of 𝐻2 𝑆𝑂4 contains 0.3moles

0.3𝑥2
2cm3 of 𝐻2 𝑆𝑂4 contains moles= 0.0006M
1000
Then;

21cm3 of solution contains 0.0012moles

0.0006𝑥1000
1000cm3 of solution contains moles= 0.0282M
21

Table II
A D E
Rate (s )
-1
0.03 0.024 0.018
Concentration (M) 0.0857 0.0571 0.0285

𝑅𝑎𝑡𝑒 = 𝑘[𝐻+ ]𝑝
0.03 = 𝑘[0.0857]𝑝 … … . (𝑖) 𝐹𝑟𝑜𝑚 𝑐𝑜𝑢𝑙𝑢𝑚𝑛 𝐴
0.024 = 𝑘[0.0571]𝑝 … … . (𝑖𝑖) 𝐹𝑟𝑜𝑚 𝑐𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑚𝑛 𝐵

15/U/5251/CHD/PD
 6

Dividing equation (i) by (ii), we have;

0.03 [0.0857]𝑝
=𝑘
0.024 [0.0571]𝑝

0.03 0.0857 𝑝
( )=( )
0.024 0.0571

1.25 = 1.5𝑝

log 1.25 = 𝑝𝑙𝑜𝑔1.5

log 1.25
𝑝=
log 1.5

𝑝 = 0.55 ≈ 1

DISCUSSION OF RESULTS:
As seen above, the total volume is kept constant throughout the experiment.
This is important in order to get accurate results. But if the volume is different
in each experiment, it would be very difficult to determine which reactant was
responsible for the rate change.

From the table of results, the decrease in the volume of sulphuric acid causing
an increase in the time t1 and t2; that is to say, the time the blue colour
appears. This shows that a decrease in the volume of sulphuric acid, decreases
the rate of reaction between potassium iodide and hydrogen peroxide.

15/U/5251/CHD/PD
 7

RECOMMENDATIONS:
It is best to keep the intensity of the indicator color relatively weak and
consistent from sample to sample.

I recommend that, very small quantities of the indicator are required for this
experiment.

The mixtures of potassium iodide, sulphuric acid and hydrogen peroxide,

should be made up carefully and clamped in a large beaker of cold water for 5-
10 minutes to equilibrium rate.

SOURCES OF ERROR:
-Error in recording the time when the blue colour appears
-Use of tap water instead of distilled water.
-Parallax errors occurred during the measurements of Potassium iodide,
sulphuric acid and hydrogen peroxide volumes.
-Using too much starch indicator

CONCLUSION:
The order of reaction was obtained successfully and it was observed that the
rate of reaction increases with increase in reactant concentration and decreases
with decrease in concentration. It was a first order of reaction with respect to
sulphuric acid.

REFERECES:
Perry, R.It, Green D ∙ (1988) ∙ Perry’s Chemical Engineer’s Handbook, 6th
edition, Mc Growhill.
Hill G.C and Halman J ∙ (2001) ∙ Chemistry in context Laboratory Manual
(Fifth edition) ∙ Nelson Thornes.
Peter Rendle, Michael Vokins and Peter Davis ∙ (1980) ∙ Experimental
chemistry A laboratory Manual ∙ Edward Arnold ltd

#
15/U/5251/CHD/PD
 8

15/U/5251/CHD/PD