The Effects Of Concentration, Temperature, Particle Size and

Catalysts On Reaction Rate

Gökçe Gözek, Deniz Yamangül

gokce.gozek@hisarschool.k12.t​r deniz.yamangul@hisarschool.k12.tr

Abstract:

In this study, the effects of 4 different variables on reaction rate was investigated with four different

experiments. The first experiment examined the correlation between concentration and rate of reaction, by

putting equal amounts of Magnesium into 1M and 6M HCl solutions, and while it took 1min 59 seconds

for the 1M reaction to conclude, it was only 11sec for the 6M reaction. In the second experiment, the

effect of temperature on the rate of reaction was investigated, using identical Magnesium plates and same

HCl solutions of 297K and 321K. While the reaction in 297K took 1min 46 seconds, it took 49sec in

321K solution. In the third experiment, the impact of reducing particle size on reaction rate was analyzed,

by conducting an experiment using both powder and plate Zinc and putting them into identical solutions

of HCl. The powder Zn reacted in 51sec, while the plate Zn reacted in 2min 30sec. Lastly, the fourth

experiment questioned whether or not the presence of catalysts in a chemical reaction increased reaction

rate, and the experiment consisted including I​-​ as a catalyst to the chemical decomposition of ​H​2​O​2​. These

experiments were conducted in the Hisar Schools Laboratory by junior students Deniz Yamangül and

Gökçe Gözek. While the main aim of these experiments was to learn the variables that affect reaction rate,

it was also to practice our theoretical knowledge and gain practical experience in the lab.

Key Words:​ Concentration, temperature, particle size, catalysts, reaction rate, activation energy,

collisions, reaction mechanism.

1
Abstract: 1

Introduction 3

Methods & Materials 5

To test the hypothesis, four different experiments were conducted. 5

2.A. Concentration Test: 5
2.B. Temperature Test: 5
2.C. Particle Size Test: 6
2.D. Catalyst Test: 6

Results and Discussion: 7

3.A. The Effect of Concentration on Reaction Rate: 7
3.B. The Effect of Temperature on Reaction Rate: 8
3.C. The Effect of Particle Size on Reaction Rate: 9
3.D. The Effect of a Catalyst on Reaction Rate: 10

4. Conclusion: 11

5. References: 12

2
 1. Introduction
There are many factors that affect reaction

rate. These factors could be listed as;

In a chemical reaction, the substances that ● Surface area of a reactant

are called ‘reactants’ are consumed and turn ● Concentration of a reactant

into ‘products’. The reaction rate shows how ● Temperature

fast reactants are consumed, and how fast ● Type of reactant

products form. The reaction rate can be ● Presence of a catalyst [4]

described as ‘the change in the concentration

of a substance’, divided by ‘the change in In this experiment, we tested the effects of

time’. Even though the magnitude of the concentration, temperature, particle size

reaction rate for a substance and a product is (surface area), and the presence of a catalyst

the same, the sign is different. on the reaction rate. The concentration

affects reaction rate, because it affects the

Reaction: A ​---> ​B probability of reactant molecules colliding

Reaction Rate: - Δ​[A]/​Δt OR Δ​[B]/​Δt with each other from the right point, which

is how the reaction occurs. Temperature also

The reaction rates of reactants and products affects rate because temperature increases

have different signs, because the substance the kinetic energy. When the kinetic energy

A is consumed, which results in a negative increases, the particles have a higher

(-) reaction rate, and substance B is velocity and therefore collide more often.

produced, which is shown as positive (+). The number of collision of the particles

3
affect how fast the reaction occurs. Also, as rate will increase too. However, particle size

kinetic energy changes, the amount of is inversely proportional with reaction rate.

particles exceeding the activation energy If the surface area of a reactant increases,

limit changes as well, which is required to the amount of time the reaction will need to

have a reaction. Particle size is important, occur will increase; therefore, the reaction

because when particle size changes, surface rate will reduce. Moreover, in the presence

area changes as well. This affects the of a catalyst, the reaction will occur faster,

number of collisions the same way and the reaction rate will rise.

concentration of reactants does, and

therefore impacts reaction rate as well.

Lastly, catalysts are enzymes that give the

reaction another pathway to occur with

diminished activation energy. It is easier for

the particles to reach the activation energy

and form products in the presence of a

catalyst.

We hypothesized that, concentration and

temperature are directly proportional with

the reaction rate; if we increase the

concentration of a substance, or the

temperature of the reactants, the reaction

4
 2. Methods & Materials measured to see how many seconds the

reaction lasted. Later on, the same

To test the hypothesis, four different experiment was done with 6.0 M HCl. The

experiments were conducted. time was noted down to see the difference

concentration causes on the reaction rate.

2.A. Concentration Test:

Materials: 2.B. Temperature Test:

2 test tubes, 10 mL of 1.0 M HCl, 10 mL of Materials:

6.0 M HCl, 2 cm strips of Mg strips, stop Two 2-cm strips of Mg, 1M HCl, 2 test

watch, 2 beakers. tubes, a thermometer, hot water, stop watch,

Methods: 2 beakers.

In the first experiment, there were two Methods:

different concentrations of HCl: 1.0 M and For the second experiment,​ there were again

6.0 M. However, each had the same volume two parts of the experiment; however, this

which was 10 mL. As the magnesium time the molarity of the substances were the

reactant, identical magnesium strips were same. 1 M of HCl and identical magnesium

used. The experiment had two reactions strips were used. 20 mL of 1 M HCl was put

occuring. To do the first one, 10 mL of 1 M into a beaker and the temperature was

HCl was poured into a beaker, and one measured as it was in room temperature.

magnesium strip was added to it. As soon as (297K) A magnesium strip was added into

the magnesium strip touched the HCl liquid, the beaker and the time was measured until

the reaction started and the time was the reaction stopped. For the second step,

5
the beaker containing the 20 mL of 1 M HCl but other variables were identical. For the

was placed in a bigger beaker which had hot first step, 20 mL of 6 M HCl was placed in a

water in it. After the beaker was heated for beaker. 0.5 grams of Zn plates were added to

two minutes, the temperature of the HCl the beaker and the time was measured until

solution was measured. (321K) Then, the reaction ended. In another beaker

magnesium strip was put and the time was containing 20 mL of 6 M HCl, 0.5 grams of

observed until the reaction ended. The Zn powder was put and the time was

amount of time each reaction had lasted was observed. The time measurements were

noted down to see how temperature makes a noted down to compare the reaction rates

difference on the reaction rate. influenced by different surface areas of the

same reactant.
2.C. Particle Size Test:

Materials:
2.D. Catalyst Test:

Zn powder, Zn plates, 6 M HCl, 2 beakers. Materials​:

Methods: KI solution, H​2​O​2​, liquid soap, and beaker.

The third reaction was used to test the Methods​:

effects of particle size on reaction rate. Finally, the effect of a catalyst on the

There were also two parts of this reaction rate was tested. The first step was to

experiment; however, the experiments had ​ ​2​ into a beaker. Then,

put 10 mL of H​2O

different surface areas for the reactant Zn. some of the liquid soap is added into the

Zn powder and Zn plates were used to beaker. The last step was to add 10 mL of

emphasize the importance of surface area, KI into the solution.

6
 3. Results and Discussion: solution took much longer to conclude, with

1 min and 59 sec, compared to the 6M

Since we have conducted four different
reaction which took just 11 seconds. This
experiments, we have obtained four different
means that as the molarity, therefore the
sets of results that represent the effect of
concentration, of the products increased, the
concentration, temperature, particle size and
rate of reaction increased similarly, as was
a presence of catalysts on reaction rate.
predicted in the hypothesis. ​When the
These variables will be analyzed separately
overall concentration of reactants increases,
in this section, before connecting each of
the number of particles passing the
them with our daily life.
activation energy limit also increases

3.A. The Effect of Concentration on proportionally, increasing the rate of

reaction.​This happens because as the

Reaction Rate:
concentration of reactants increases, the
The following reaction was used to see the
possibility of the molecules colliding with
effects of concentration on reaction rate:
each other at the right position increases as

well, which how particles react with each

Mg(​s)​ + 2 HCl (​aq​) ⟶ MgCl​2(​​ aq​) + H​2​(​g​)
other.

After two 2cm long strips of Magnesium

The examples of this phenomenon could be
was put into 10mL of 1M and 6M solutions
experienced commonly in daily life. For
of HCl acid and the reactions were timed, it
example, higher concentrations of acids in
was discovered that the reaction in the 1M

7
rain will erode marbles and other minerals
3.B. The Effect of Temperature on
faster, causing a more catastrophic impact

on the environment. Furthermore, the Reaction Rate:

difficulty of breathing in areas lacking The same chemical reaction used to test the

appropriate concentration levels of oxygen effect of Temperature on Reaction Rate was

could also be given as an example to the also used to test the effects of temperature.

effect of reactant concentration on reaction

rate. Mg(​s)​ + 2 HCl (​aq​) ⟶ MgCl​2(​​ aq)​ + H​2​(​g​)

This time, after two 2cm long Magnesium

strips was put inside 1M solutions of HCl in

different temperatures (24​o​C and 48​o​C), the

time for the reaction to conclude was

measured. It took 1 min 46 sec for the

reaction to finish in the 24​o​C solution, while

it was only 49 sec in the 48​o​C solution. As

was projected in the hypothesis, as the

temperature increased, the total time for

reaction decreased, which meant that the

overall reaction rate increased. Temperature

increases the average kinetic energy of the

particles, and therefore more particles

8
exceed the activation energy limit.

Increasing the average kinetic energy also

causes particles to collide more often,

resulting in a larger rate of reaction.

Similarly, the effect of temperature on

reaction detected via this experiment could

3.C. The Effect of Particle Size on
easily be detected in real life as well. For
Reaction Rate:
instance, human metabolism, which is

simply the process which converts food into

energy via chemical reactions, slows down ​ H​2

Zn + 2 HCl ⟶ ZnCl​2​ +

when body temperature decreases and

speeds up when body temperature increases. The reaction above was used to test the

Another example could be one we encounter effects of particle size on reaction rate.​When

frequently in the kitchen: meals cook faster 1 g of Zn plate and 1 g Zn powder was put

when more heat is applied, and slower when into 20mL of 6m HCl, it was observed that

less heat is applied. the reaction containing powder Zn happened

much faster than the reaction containing Zn

plates, in 51 seconds and 150 seconds

respectively. These results were coherent

with our hypothesis as well, as we had

predicted that decreasing particle size would

9
speed up the reaction rate. This phenomenon
3.D. The Effect of a Catalyst on
is caused by the increasing possibility of

particles colliding when the surface area of Reaction Rate:

the reactants increases. In our last experiment, the effect of a

catalyst on the reaction rate was tested. The

A very common real-life example that following reaction with mechanisms was

supports this linkage between particle size used to test the impact of a catalyst.

reaction rate is digestion, which consists of

both physical and chemical digestion. The H​2​O​2​(​aq)​ + I​-​(​aq)​ ⟶ OI​-​(​aq)​ + H​2O(​
​ l​)

main purpose of physical digestion is to

reduce the particle size and prepare it for H​2​O​2​(​aq)​ + OI​-​(​aq)​ ⟶ I​-​(​aq)​ + H​2O(​
​ l​) + O​2​(​g​)

___________________________
chemical digestion. The longer and better
​ 2​ aq​) ⟶ H​2​O(​l)
​ + O​2(​​ g​)
(​
2 H​2O​
physical digestion is, the easier and faster

chemical digestion happens.

As can be seen in the chemical equation of

the reaction, OI​-​ was the catalyst and the last

row of equation is the overall reaction. We

observed that the presence of a catalyst in a

chemical reaction increased the reaction rate

drastically. When we added OI​-​ as a catalyst

to our chemical reaction, we observed the

formation of H​2​O and O​2​ in just seconds,

while it could have been hours without the

10
catalyst. Catalysts increase reaction rate by The most common example of catalysts are

dividing the reaction into mechanisms and, enzymes. Enzymes have countless uses in

therefore, decreasing the activation energy the human body, such as but not limiting to

limit. Since catalysts are not consumed by speeding up the chemical digestion process.

the reaction, just a small amount of It is also used in detergents and facilitates

catalyzers can significantly speed up the the cleaning process by breaking down any

reaction. food particles, similar to its role in digestion.

collisions or lowering the activation energy

limit. During the analysis of the findings, it

was realised that these techniques are

4. Conclusion:
commonly used and have significant

In conclusion, when the effects of reactant importance in daily life. As we enter an era

concentration, temperature, particle size and of continuous and rapid development, it is of

catalysts on a reaction’s rate were analyzed critical value to learn and understand all the

via different experiments, it was found that methods that will facilitate and accelerate

concentration, temperature and catalysts chemical reactions, in order to save time,

have a positive correlation with reaction effort and resources.

rate, while particle size has a negative

correlation, as were predicted in the

hypotheses. These variables affect reaction

rate by either increasing the frequency of

11
5. References:

[1] ​
Pokrovskii, B.I. “ Influence of Substances Concentrations on the Velocity of Chemical

Reaction.” ​ChemNet-Russia​, Russian Foundation for Basic Research,

http://www.chem.msu.su/eng/teaching/Kinetics-online/chapter2e.html.

[2] ​
Carr, Derek. “GCSE OCR Gateway Chemistry C5.2a-d Reaction Rate vs Temperature.” ​GCSE

OCR Gateway Chemistry C5.2a-d Reaction Rate vs Temperature​, Blogspot, 1 Jan. 1970,

https://derekcarrsavvy-chemist.blogspot.com/2017/09/gcse-ocr-gateway-chemistry-c52a-d_15.ht

ml.

[3] ​
“Rates of Reaction Reading.” ​EMS Chemistry Part 2,​ Google,

https://sites.google.com/a/wyckoffschools.org/ems-chemistry/activity-6/rates-of-reaction-reading

[4]​
“Factors Affecting Reaction Rates.” ​CDLI Sample Resources.,​ CDLI,

https://www.cdli.ca/sampleResources/chem3202/unit01_org01_ilo03/b_activity.html.

12