Determining How Factors Affect Reaction Rates

Purpose
To determine how varying amounts of reactants, concentrations, surface area and temperature impact the rate
of reactions

Background
According to kinetic and collision theories, reactions can be affected by various factors. This lab will
investigate how altering certain factors can increase or decrease the rate of the reaction below.

CaCO3 + 2HCl  CO2 + CaCl2 + H2O

Materials
Calcium carbonate (small lumps and powder), 5 mol dm-3 HCl, water, 250 cm3 Erlenmeyer flask, scale, cotton

Procedure
Part A: Comparison Group
1. Measure out 50 cm3 of 5.0 mol dm-3 hydrochloric acid and place it into the 250 cm3 Erlenmeyer flask.
2. Weigh out approximately 10 g of calcium carbonate on a piece of filter paper.
3. Zero the scale.
4. Place the flask on the scale.
5. Add the calcium carbonate to the acid. Immediately place the cotton into the mouth of the flask to prevent
any liquid from splashing out and record the initial mass.
6. Record the mass every 30 seconds for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes have passed, record the mass every 1
minute until a total of 20 minutes have passed.

Part B: Varying the Amount of the Acid

Repeat the process in Part A but use 100 cm3 of HCl rather than 50 cm3.

Part C: Varying the Concentration of the Acid

Repeat the process in Part A but use 25 cm3 of 5.0 mol dm-3 HCl and 25 cm3 of water.

Part D: Varying the Amount of the Calcium Carbonate

Repeat the process in Part A but use 5 g of calcium carbonate rather than 10 g.

Part E: Varying the Surface Area of the Calcium Carbonate

Repeat the process in Part A but use powdered calcium carbonate rather than small lumps.

Part F: Varying the Temperature

Repeat the process in Part A but warm the HCl to 20˚C above room temperature before adding the calcium
carbonate.

Data Collection and Processing

1. Exchange your data with the other groups.
2. Using Excel, generate a graph of the data.
3. Calculate the initial rate of gas evolved in units of g s-1 for each reaction.

Conclusions and Evaluation

For each of the Parts B-F, compare the initial rate of reaction with that of Part A and explain this in terms of
collision theory.