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Lab 5 & 6- Determination of the Rate of a reaction and it’s Temperature 

Dependence  
PURPOSE 
The purpose of this lab is to determine the reaction order for multiple compounds and observe 
how different concentrations have effects on the reaction rate.  
 
PROCEDURE 
1. Turn on the spectrometer and wait 15 minutes. Make sure that it is zero and set the 
wavelength to 395 nm.  
2. Take 10 mL of each of the 3 bromine standards and record the absorbance.  
3. Plot a standard curve with the absorbance compared to the concentration of the Bromine.  
4. Add 15 mL of 8M acetone solution in the labeled beaker. Then add 15 mL of 2M HCl 
solution to a separate beaker.  
5. Then add 50 mL of 1X 10^-3M Bromine solution to another separate labeled beaker. Get 
four 10 mL flasks and label them up to 4.  
6. Add the following amounts of the reactants to the flasks and fill to the line with distilled 
water. Make sure to refer to the chart below for the appropriate amounts. Do not prepare 
the sample until prepared for the readings.  
 

Sample  mL Bromine  mL HCl  mL Acetone   RO H2O 

1  2.0  1.0  1.0  To 10 mL line 

2  2.0  2.0  1.0  To 10 mL line 

3  2.0  1.0  2.0  To 10 mL line 

 
7. Mix together sample 1 by combining the appropriate reactants fairly quickly. Cover with 
parafilm and mix. Then place the solution in a cuvette and place into the spectrometer. 
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Measure the absorbance close as possible to over 15 seconds for 5 minutes or until it 
reaches zero absorbance.  
8. Repeat the Procedure above for sample 2 and sample 3.  
9. Repeat step 3 for sample 1 with solutions kept at 0 C.  
10. Repeat step 3 for sample 1 with solutions kept at 40 C. 
 
CALCULATIONS/DATA 
The reaction is zero order. 
​Sample 1 
The graph shown below implies that this is a zero order reaction because it is a straight line. 
Since it is a first order reaction, p=0. The rate of the reaction is equal to the slope of the line Br2 
versus time, which fits the data.  
K’=-6 x 10^-6 

 
 
 
 
 
 
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Sample 2 
The graph below indicates that this is a zero order reaction because it is a straight line. Since it is 
a first order reaction, p=0. The rate of the reaction is equal to the slope of the line Br2 versus 
time. 
K’=-1 x 10^-5 

 
 
Sample 3 
The graph below indicates that this is a zero order reaction because it is a straight line. Since it is 
a first order reaction, p=0. The rate of the reaction is equal to the slope of Br2 versus time, which 
fits the data shown.  
K’=-1 x 10^-5 

 
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Sample 1 Cold Temperature 
The graph below shows that this is a zero order reaction because it is a straight line. Since it is a 
first order reaction, p=0. The rate of the reaction is equal to the slope of the line because Br2 
versus time, which fits the data.  
K’= -4 x 10^-6 

Sample  Br2  Acetone  H+  Rxn Rate 

1  0  1  1  1 

2  0  1  1  2 

3  0  1  1  2 

4  0  1  1  1 

For the cold sample, the EA value is 26.068 and the R value is 0.908.  
 
CONCLUSION 
The purpose of the lab was to use a spectrometer and a standard curve to determine the reaction 
order of Bromine and Acetone. Ultimately, the reaction rates were found by using the equation 
-d[Br2]/dt=k[acetone]^n[H+]^m[Br2]^p. By finding the values of n, m, and p, the reaction rate 
for each sample was found. The EA and R values were found.