STC 122 PRACTICALS

EXPERIMENT ONE
TITLE: THE EFFECT OF CONCENTRATION ON RATE OF REACTION

AIM: ToInvestigate the Effect of Concentration of Hydrochloric HClacid on the Rate of Reaction
between Hydrochloric HClacid and Sodium thiosulphate Na2S2O3 Solution.

THEORY: The rate of reaction is the rate of change in the concentration of a reactant (or product)
per unit time at a particular temperature.
Change∈concentration mold m−3
Mathematically, Rate= =
Time S
The rate of reaction is directly proportional to the concentration and inversely proportional to the
time.The effect of concentration on the rate of reaction is due to collision of reacting species. The
frequency at which the molecules or ions collide depends upon their concentration.The reaction
between hydrochloric acid HCl and sodium thiosulphate Na2S2O3 gives a deposit of yellow sulphur as
shown below:
2HCl(aq)+Na2S2O3(aq) NaCl(aq)+H2O(1)+SO2(g)+S(s)
This can be monitored by measuring how long it will take the sulphur to deposit at the bottom of
reaction vessel.

APPARATUS: 250cm3 conical flask, 100cm3 measuring cylinder, 10cm3 measuring cylinder, stop
clock, 0.5moldm-3 HCl, 0.5moldm-3 sodium thiosulphate, white paper with an ‘X’ mark on it,
distilled water.

PROCEDURE:
1) Measure out 20cm3 of 0.5moldm-3 of Na2 S2 O3 solution into a 250cm3 conical flask using a
100cm3 measuring cylinder.
2) Measure out 10cm3 of HCl acid using a 10cm3 measuring cylinder.
3) Place the conical flask over a piece with a ‘X’ mark
4) Add the acid to the flask, swirl the flask to mix the solution and immediately start the stop
clock or note and record the time.
5) Look through the mixture from above and stop the watch, or note the time, as soon as the‘X’
mark disappears
6) Record the time taken in seconds, as soon as possible pour the solution down the sink and
wash away thoroughly with plenty of water.
7) Repeat the experiment using different concentration of hydrochloric acid HCl and tabulate
your reading as below.
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 Concentration of HCl Time taken 1/time taken(s-1) ln[A]
([A] in moldm-3) (s)
0.5
1.0
1.5
2.0
2.5
Unknown

QUESTIONS:
1. (a) Plot a graph of concentration of HCl ([A] in moldm-3) against time.
(b) From the graph: (i) Obtain the slope (ii) Calculate the rate of reaction
(iii) Calculate the reaction constant K (iv) Comment on the shape of the curve.
2. (a) Plot a graph of ln [A] against 1/time taken
(b) From the graph: (i) Obtain the slope (ii) Comment on the shape of the curve
(iii) Indicate what the slope represents.

EXPERIMENT 2
TITLE: THE EFFECT OF TEMPERATURE ON RATE OF REACTION

AIM: To Investigate the Effect of Temperatureon the Rate of Reaction between Hydrochloric acid
HCl and Sodium thiosulphate Na2S2O3 Solution.

THEORY: The rate of reaction is the rate of change in concentration of a reactant (or product) per
unit tine at a particular temperature.
Change∈concentration mold m−3
Mathematically, Rate = =
Time S
Temperature has a major effect on the rate of reaction.Molecules of reacting species at a higher
temperature have more thermal energy i.e. more energetic and have greater chance of reacting. The
increasing in temperature favoured an endothermic reaction whereby decrease in temperature
favoured exothermic reaction.
The effect of temperature on the reaction between hydrochloric acid and sodium thiosulphate can be
investigated by placing the reaction container on top of a white piece of paper with an ‘X’ mark on it
and measuring how long it will take mark to disappear (become invisible) due to the sulphur deposit
at the different temperature.

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APPARATUS: 250cm3 conical flask, 100cm3 measuring cylinder 10cm3 measuring cylinder, stop
clock, thermometer, heating apparatus water bath hot plate 0.5mol/dm -3 with an ‘X’ mark on it,
distilled water.
PROCEDURE:
(1) Measure out 20cm3 of 0.5moldm-3 Na2S2O3 solution into a 250cm-3 conical flask using a 100cm 3
measuring cylinder
(2) Measure out 10cm3 of 0.5mol/dm-3HCl using a 10cm-3 measuring cylinder
(3) Warm the sodium thiosulphate solution in the flask, if necessary to bring it to the required
temperature T1 of 35oc
(4) Place the conical flask over a piece with a ‘X’ mark
(5) Add the acid and start the clock or note the time, swirl the flask to mix the solution and record
the temperature of the mixture as T2
(6) Look through the mixture from above and stop the watch, or note the time, as soon as ‘X’ mark
disappear.
(7) Record the time taken in seconds as soon as possible. Also record the final temperature of the
mixture as T3pour the solution down the sink and wish away thoroughly
(8) Repeat the experiment using different temperature of T 1 and tabulate your reading as indicated
below.
Temperature of Initial temp. of Final temp. of Average Time
Na2S2O3(T1oC) Na2S2O3+HCl (T2oC) Na2S2O3+HCl(T3oC) temp. (T4oC) taken (s)
35
45
55
65
75

QUESTIONS
1(a) Plot a graph of temperature of Na2S2O3(T1oC) against time
(i) From your graph, obtain the slope of the graph
(ii) State a how rate varies with temperature
(iii) Comment in the shape of the graph
2(a) Plot a graph of average temperature (T4oC)against time.
(i) From your graph, obtain the slope of the graph
(ii) State how rate varies with the temperature

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 (iii) Comment on the shape of the graph.

EXPERIMENT 3
TITLE: THE EFFECT OF CATALYST ON RATE OF REACTION

AIM: To Investigate the Effect of catalyst on the rate of reaction between Zinc and Tetraoxosulphate
(VI) H2SO4acid catalysed by copper.

THEORY:.

APPARATUS: Weighing balance, 50cm3 conical flask, 10cm3 measuring cylinder, stop clock, zinc
(granulated), copper turnings, dilute Tetraoxosulphate (VI) H2SO4acid, copper (II) sulphate solution.

PROCEDURE:
(1) Using a measuring cylinder, put 25 cm 3of hydrogen peroxide solution into a 250cm 3 conical
flask.
(2) Add a small piece of liver.
(3) Test the gas given off with a glowing splint.
(4) Dispose of this mixture, including the liver, into a bucket, and put another 25 cm 3of hydrogen
peroxide solution into a 250cm3 conical flask.
(5) Add a small piece of potatoes.
(6) Test the gas given off with a glowing splint.
(7) Repeat this experiment with 20 cm3of yeast suspension prepared by suspending 2 g of powdered
yeast in 160 cm3of water and the mixture left for 4 hrs to aerate.
QUESTIONS
1) Which enzyme source produces the fastest reaction (liver, potato or yeast suspension)
2) Write a word equation for this reaction.
3) Describe how the volume of gas produced in the reaction may be measured.
4) How could the rate of gas production be measured?

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 EXPERIMENT 4
TITLE: THE EFFECT OF ENZYMES ON RATE OF REACTION

AIM: To Investigate the Effect of the enzyme (catalyst) on the rate of decomposition of Hydrogen
peroxide.
THEORY:Enzymes are biological catalysts; they increase the speed of a chemical reaction. They
are large protein molecules and these enzymes are very specific to certain reactions. Hydrogen
peroxide decomposes slowly in light to produce oxygen and water. There is an enzymes called
catalase that can speed up (catalyse) this reaction.
APPARATUS: Weighing balance, 250cm3 conical flask, 100cm3 measuring cylinder, stop clock,
hydrogen peroxide, potato, liver, and yeast suspension.
PROCEDURE:
(8) Using a measuring cylinder, put 25 cm 3of hydrogen peroxide solution into a 250cm 3 conical
flask.
(9) Add a small piece of liver.
(10) Test the gas given off with a glowing splint.
(11) Dispose of this mixture, including the liver, into a bucket, and put another 25 cm 3of hydrogen
peroxide solution into a 250cm3 conical flask.
(12) Add a small piece of potatoes.
(13) Test the gas given off with a glowing splint.
(14) Repeat this experiment with 20 cm 3of yeast suspension prepared by suspending 2 g of
powdered yeast in 160 cm3of water and the mixture left for 4 hrs to aerate.
QUESTIONS
5) Which enzyme source produces the fastest reaction (liver, potato or yeast suspension)
6) Write a word equation for this reaction.
7) Describe how the volume of gas produced in the reaction may be measured.
8) How could the rate of gas production be measured?

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