CHEMICAL KINETICS: THE IODINE CLOCK REACTION FORMAL

REPORT IN CHEMISTRY 26.1 SUBMITTED BY STUDENT

LORENZO PAULO B. TORRES
LORENZO PAULO B. TORRES
NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF GEOLOGICAL SCIENCES
UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES-DILIMAN, QUEZON CITY
DATE SUBMITTED: 17 SEPTEMBER 2014
DATE PERFORMED: 5 SEPTEMBER 2014

ABSTRACT

This formal report discusses Experiment 3: Chemical Kinetics: the Iodine Clock Reaction, its procedures,
observations, data and gathered conclusions from the experiment information. Through the use of several different
sets of solutions, (each with different concentrations and/or temperature, with or without catalysts), the concepts
behind chemical kinetics of solutions were observed. There are three main objectives of this experiment. First is to
explain the kinetics of I- and S203. Second is to use the initial rate method to determine the rate law of the reaction.
And last but not the least; to determine the effects of temperature and catalysts on the solution reaction.

INTRODUCTION:

When we talk about chemical reactions, we should
not only concern ourselves about the amount of
products and reactants, but also to the dynamic
aspects of chemical change like the rate of reaction,
how far will the reaction proceed, and the energy
released or absorbed by the reaction.
The purpose of the starch was to detect the formation
of Iodine. The solution’s reaction endpoint is when the
solution instantaneously turns bluish, black. The
changing of the color of the solution was due to the
reaction of starch and Iodine.

In this experiment we are presented with 5 solutions
with the same kind of reactants and products but with
differing concentrations, temperature, and external
factors (i.e. presence of catalyst). Using I2 and S2082-
as the reactants for the experiment, and the starch
solution as the indicator of the completeness of the
direction of solution, we are able to obtain the time
needed for the solution to complete its reaction.
There were a total of eight different runs of the
solutions of 0.2 M K1, 0.2 M KCl, 0.1 M K2S2O8 , 0.1
M K2S2O8, and 4mM Na2S2O3. All of these
aqueous solutions were poured in a single
beaker after the few drops of starch were added.
The timing of the reaction was started as soon as
the contents were poured together.
After the collected data of reaction time for each run,
it is necessary to solve the effect of the concentration
of reactants. By using the rate law of the chemical
reactions of the solution, we can determine the
relationship of concentrations of reactants to the rate
of reactions. It is only necessary for us to take
account for the concentrations of the reactants and
not the products because we observe the reaction
rate under conditions wherein the reverse reaction
does not contribute to the overall rate. (Zumdahl,
548).
The equation for the rate law is given as:
rate = k [A]m[B]n (Eqtn.1)
Wherein k is the rate constant, m and n are the orders
of the reactants. To determine the value of k, one
must balance the stoichiometric equation of the
reaction:

2I- (aq) + S2O82- (aq) I2 (aq) + 2SO42- (aq) (eqtn3)

This reaction (eqtn 4) includes the oxidation of I2 (aq)

to 2I- (aq) through 2S2O32- (persulfate) is very slow.
But due to the presence of S4O62-,(thiosulfate) the
reaction becomes more spontaneous by being faster
and more thorough.

I2 (aq) + 2S2O32- (aq) 2I- (aq) + S4O62- (aq) (Eqtn

4)

By observing the stoichiometric ratios of thiosulfate

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
and iodide, we infer that the change in thiosulfate
concentration is double that of iodide. This
Table 1: Computed Concentrations of Reactants and
relationship will help us determine the rate of reaction.
Reaction Rate
Meanwhile, n and m, should be calculated by the use Solutio [S2O8 ]
2- [I-] [S2O32-] Time, Rate,
of experimental data. After getting the rate of reaction ns s M/s
and the concentration of reactants, comparison of 1 0.00050 0.002 0.00002 425 2.355
both quantities can give us both m and n. Always be x10-8
aware that n does not rely on the balanced equation 2 0.00050 0.00100 0.00002 817 1.225
of the reaction. x10-8
3 0.00050 0.00050 0.00002 1658 6.05x
To calculate the effect of temperature on chemical 10-9
kinetics, we exposed two runs of solution 2 to warm 4 0.00075 0.00100 0.00002 513 1.945
and cold baths individually. By using temperature and x10-8
time, we can calculate for the activation energy (Ea )of 5 0.00100 0.00100 0.00002 260 4.8x1
the reaction. Activation energy is the minimum energy 0-8
with which molecules must collide to react.
(Silberberg, G-1).
As I have stated in the introduction, the way to
And lastly the presence of catalyst in chemical calculate rate from the initial concentration is through
reaction and its relation to reaction rate and activation the comparison of stoichiometric ratios between I2
energy was also computed. and thiosulfate. (Eqtn4)

Figure 1: Effect of Catalyst to the Activation Energy in Therefore,

a Reaction Rate= = .

After determining the rate of reaction, we can now

compute for the rate law.

rate = k [A]m[B]n (Eqtn.1)

By comparing similar concentration of a particular

reactant and equating it to the reaction rate, one can
get the exponent n of the other reactant. For example:
 = =1.92=[2]n n=1 for [I-] ln Rate vs ln [I-]
-17
Computing the exponent for S2O82- as well will give us -10 -5 0
-17.5
also 1. [S2O32-] has no effect on the reaction,
ln Rate vs
therefore its n=0. -18
ln [I-]
-18.5
This means that both [I-] and [S2O82-] have a direct
proportional relationship to the rate law. Dividing the -19
reactants by 2 would also divide the rate law by 2. Again, the graph shows us that as long as [I-] is
increasing, reaction rate will increase.
After obtaining the orders of the reactants, we could
now solve for the reaction constant (k). Equating all A graph of the line of the relationship of [S2O82-] and
values of rates and concentrations and their the rate of reaction can be expressed in the second
respective orders, we could get k by dividing rate by order equation of the solution which is
reactant concentrations. 1/[A] = kt + 1/[Ao]
Wherein, y=1/[A], mx or slope=kt and y intercept as
By averaging the 5 slightly different ks, we obtained 1/[Ao].
k=0.0292.
Table 2: Effect of Temperature on Reaction Rate
By using solution 1 as an example, we can rewrite the Solution 2 Temperature, Rate K
rate law as: K
2.355x10-8=[0.00050][0.002]0.0292 Run 1 301.15 1.225x10-8 0.0292
Run 2 315.15 3.90x10-8 0.078
We can also show the relationship of [S2O82-] to the
Run 3 340.15 2.33x10-7 0.466
reaction rate by constructing a line graph ln rate vs ln
[S2O82-] for sol’n 2,4,5 wherein I- is constant.
The computation for k and reaction rate will be the
same as the procedure in the previous solutions.

The striking figure in table 2 is how drastically the

Due to the larger value for
reaction rate increased as the temperature increase.
This is due to the greater molecular kinetic energy
ln Reaction Rate vs ln that causes more collisions, and therefore, possibly
[S2O82-] more reactions. (Clungston, 270)

-16.5 We can also observe that k increases as temperature

-8 -7.5 -7 -17 -6.5 increases. This phenomenon can be explained by the
ln Reaction Arrhenius equation.
-17.5
Rate
-18 k=A*e(-Ea/R*T) (eqtn no. 5)
-18.5
where k is the rate constant, Ea is the activation
energy, R is the universal gas constant = 8.314
Due to the larger value of ln [S2O82-], the graph looks J/mol*K, T is the temperature in Kelvin and A is the
dented, but the overall trend was positive. Thence, [S- Arrhenius constant.
2O8 ] and reaction rate are directly proportional.
2-

We can compute for the Ea, we can have a linear

Let’s now look at the graphical representation of equation that will show us the graph with respect to ln
effects of [I-] to reaction rate. k:
ln k = - Ea/(R*T) + A (eqtn no.6)

,wherein lnk/1/T will be our slope.
ln k vs. 1/T
1 of several different uncertainties or mistakes during
0.5
ln k vs. 1/T
0
-4 -2 0
Slope=1.092x10-3
Bear in mind that slope also =-Ea/R
Therefore, Ea= 9.08x10-3.KJ
Arhennius constant=0.041 by using eqtn no.5, and
substituting all values.
The activation energy does not change with
temperature, but rather it appears as the slope of the
line. In connection, the rate constant increases
exponentially when the activation energy decreases.
The reaction would proceed faster with a smaller
activation energy to conquer. (Chemwiki)
The last set-up to be performed was that of the
catalyst. In this particular experiment Copper (III)
Sulfate was used as the catalyst.
commercially feasible (Haber process). And without
iron oxide which speeds up the reaction, a catalyst,
more cost and higher temperatures will be needed to
supply the ammonia for agricultural use.
Some of the graphs in this report looks weird because
the experiment. Most prominent of these uncertainty
was the inaccurate concentration of the reactants.
This is due mainly to human error, or sometimes due
to imprecise laboratory equipment. There was also an
uncertainty about the end time of reaction because
some solutions take too slow or too fast to react,
More trials would have probably lessen errors.
REFERENCES
Clungston, M.J., Flemming, R., 2000, Advanced
Chemistry, Oxford University Press, 270
Silberberg, Martin, 2013, Principles of General
Chemistry, McGraw Hill, G-1
Zumdahl S., Zumdahl S, 2014, Chemistry 9th Ed.,
Cengage Learning 557-570
del Mundo, G., Kareem, M., etc., Arrhenius Equation.
Chemwiki. Retrieved January 4, 2012, from
http://chemwiki.ucdavis.edu/Physical_Chemistry/Kinet
ics/Reaction_Rates/Temperature_Dependence_of_R
eaction_Rates/Arrhenius_Equation
Skoog, West, Holler, Crouch, 2004, Fundamentals of
Analytical Chemistry, Thomson Brooks Cole

The computation of the rate constant of set 4 is

different because of its different rate law:

Rate = k[S2O82-][I-][CuSO4]x

But remember that we can always use equation no. 5

or 6 to calculate for k. Plugging in the values, the k for
Set 4 with catalyst is 0.045 M-1s-1.

SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS

Reaction rate, in general favours; a. Reactants with

higher concentration, b. High temperature (more
kinetic energy), and c. Presence of catalyst.

In terms of application, we can observe these

conclusions especially in nature and industry. Several
products like the production of fertilizer grade
ammonia requires high temperature to be