Topic 9: RATE OF REACTION

1. What is activation energy,Ea?

[1mark]
Answer:
Activation energy- minimum energy colliding reactant particles must have for an
effective collision
to take place.

2. What is rate of reaction?

[1 mark]
Answer:
-Rate of reaction = [Change of quantity of reactants or product]
Time taken
or:
-Change in quantity of reactant or product per unit time.

3. Food stored in a refrigerator lasts longer than food stored in a kitchen cabinet.
Explain why.
[4 marks]
Answer:
- In a refrigerator, the temperature is lower
- Bacterial activity is lower / less active
- Bacteria produce less toxin
- The rate of food damage is low// the food rots slowly.
Or
- In a kitchen cabinet, the temperature is higher
- Bacterial activity is higher / more active
- Bacteria produce more toxin
- The rate of food damage is high// the food rots quickly

4. Table below shows information about the reactants and the temperature used
in an experiments to investigate the factors affecting the rate of a reaction.

Experiment Reactants Temperature/oC

I Excess calcium carbonate 30
chips and 30 cm3of 0.5
mol dm-3 hydrochloric
acid
II Excess calcium carbonate 40
chips and 30 cm3of 0.5
mol dm-3 hydrochloric
acid
III Excess calcium carbonate 40
powder and 30 cm3of 0.5
mol dm-3 hydrochloric
acid

Graph below shows the results of these experiments

(a) Calculate the average rate of reaction for Experiment I.
[2 marks]

(b) Based on Table and Graph, Compare the rate of reaction between :
• Experiment I and Experiment II
• Experiment II and Experiment III
In each case, explain the difference in rate of reaction with reference to the
collision theory.
[10 marks]
Answer:
(a) Average rate of reaction = 50 = 0.909 cm3 s-1
55

(b) Between Experiment I and Experiment II

1. Rate of reaction in Experiment II is higher than in Experiment I

2. Temperature in Experiment II is higher than in Experiment I
3. High temperature, high kinetic energy of particle.
4. Collision frequency between H+ ion and calcium carbonate increase.
5. Effective collision frequency increase

Between Experiment II and Experiment III

1. Rate of reaction in Experiment III is higher than in Experiment II

2. Total surface area in Experiment III is greater than in Experiment II
3. More surface area of calcium carbonate is exposed to acid .
4. Collision frequency between H+ ion and calcium carbonate increase
in Experiment III.
5. Effective collision frequency increase in Experiment III

5. Table 5 shows the data from Experiment I and Experiment II that were carried
out to study the
rate of reaction of zinc with two acids,hydrochloric acid and sulphuric acid.

Experim Reactants Products Observation

ent
2.6 g of zinc and 50 cm3 Zinc chloride and The temperature of
I of hydrochloric acid 2.0 hydrogen gas the mixture
-3
mol dm increases
2.6 g of zinc and 50 cm3 Zinc sulphate and The temperature of
II of sulphuric acid 2.0 hydrogen gas the mixture
mol dm-3 increases
Table 5
Graph in Diagram 5 below shows the results of Experiment I and Experiment II
(a) Based on the graph:
(i)Calculate the average rate of reaction for Experiment I and
experiment II [2 marks]

(ii)Explain the different in the rate of reaction between Experiment I and

Experiment II before 160 s
[6 marks]

Answer:
(a)(i) Expt I: Average rate of reaction = 960 = 4 cm-3 s-1
240
Expt II: Average rate of reaction = 960 = 6.4 cm-3 s-1
150

(ii) Between Experiment I and Experiment II before 160 s

1. The rate of reaction for experiment II is greater / higher than
Experiment I
2. This is because the acid (H2SO4) in Experiment II is a diprotic
acid.
3. The acid (HCl) in Experiment I is a monoprotic acid acid
4. Sulphuric acid, H2SO4, has higher concentration H+ ion than
hydrochloric acid
5. The frequency of collision between H+ ion and zinc in
Experiment II is greater than in Experiment I
6. The frequency of effective collisions in Experiment II is greater
than in Experiment I.

(b) Draw an energy profile diagram for the reaction in Experiment I

On the energy profile diagram show the :
 Heat of reaction, ∆H
 Activation energy without a catalys, Ea
 Activation energy with a catalys, Ea’

Explain the energy profile diagram.

[10 marks]

Answer:
1. Label of Energy on vertical axis
2.The position of the energy level of the reactants is higher than the
energy level of the product
3. Correct position for ∆H
4.Correct position for Ea
5. Correct position for Ea’
Explaination:
1. Reaction is exothermic
2. The reactants contain more energy than the products
3. ∆H is the energy difference in the reactants and in the products
 4. Heat given out during bond formation is greater than heat absorbed
during bond breaking
5. The use of catalyst reduces/lowers the activation energy

6. The following table shows reading of an experiment to study the rate of reaction
Time/s 0 15 30 45 60 75 90 12 15 18 21 24 27
0 0 0 0 0 0
Volume of 0.0 12 20 24 26 30 31 32 32. 33 33 33
Carbon 5
dioxide gas/
cm3

(a) Plot a graph of volume of carbon dioxide against time

[5marks]

(b) Based on the graph in (a) calculate

(i) average rate of reaction in the first minute
(ii) rate of reaction at 36 seconds
[6marks]

Answer:
(b) (i) average rate of reaction = 26 cm = 0.43 cm3 s-1 atau 26 cm3 min-1
60 sec
(ii) rate of reaction at 36 s = 0.20 -0.30 cm3 s-1

7. Using theory of collision, explain the effect of the following factors on rate of
reaction.
(a) concentration
(b) temperature
(c) size of particle/ total surface area
(d) catalyst

Answer:
(a) Effect of concentration
When the concentration of the solution is higher/ increases,
-number of particle per unit volume also increases.
-number of collision between particles increases
-frequency of collision between reactant particles increase
- frequency of effective collision increases.
-rate of reaction increases.
(b) Effect of temperature
When the temperature of solution is higher/increases
- kinetic energy of the reactant particles also increases
- number of collision between particles increases
-frequency of collision between reactant particles increase
- frequency of effective collision increases.
-rate of reaction increases.
(c) Effect of size
When the size of the reactants is smaller
 -total surface area per unit volume is larger
- more surface area of reactant particles is exposed to collision .
-number of collision between particles increases
-frequency of collision between reactant particles increase
- frequency of effective collision increases.
-rate of reaction increases
(d) Effect of catalyst
When catalyst is used
- catalyst lowers activation energy
- number of effective collision increases.
- frequency of effective collision increases
- rate of reaction increases

8. (a) What is a catalyst?

(b) State the characteristics of catalyst

Answer:
(a) Catalyst is a substance that alter rate of reaction.
(b) Characteristics of catalyst
-Only a small amount is needed
-it is specific in its action
-it remains chemically unchanged during the reaction
-the amount of product remains unchanged with or without catalyst.
-it may undergo physical changes