President’s College Chemistry Grade 11

Lab# 18 Skill: MM
Title: Effect of temperature on rate of reaction
Aim: To investigate the effect of temperature on the rate of reaction between sodium
thiosulpahte and hydrochloric acid
Materials and apparatus: 1.0 mol dm-3 HCl, 0.05 mol dm-3 sodium thiosulphate, conical flask,
50cm3 measuring cylinder, burette, thermometer, beaker, hot plate, water bath and stopwatch
Method
1. Using a black pen, draw a cross on a piece of white paper. Do not make the cross too
dark.
2. Measure 50cm3 of sodium thiosulphate using the measuring cylinder and pour it into the
conical flask.
3. Pour the hydrochloric acid into the burette
4. Add 1cm3 of hydrochloric acid to the conical flask and at the same time start the
stopwatch. Swirl the flask to mix the solutions and place the flask on top of the cross.
5. Look down into the conical flask and stop the stopwatch as soon as the cross is no longer
visible.
6. Immediately measure and record the temperature of the mixture in the conical flask and
record the time taken for the cross to disappear.
7. Repeat the experiment, but this time heat the sodium thiosulpahte solution in the conical
flask to about 40℃ before adding the hydrochloric acid.
8. Repeat the experiment three more times, heating the sodium thiosulphate solution to 50
℃ , 60℃ and then 70℃ .
9. Record your results in a table and calculate the rate of reaction at each temperature.
Temperature (℃ ) Time/ s Rate of reaction (1/time) s-1

Questions
1. Plot a graph to show the rate of reaction against the final temperature of the mixture.
Draw a curve of best fit between the points
2. What can you deduce about the effect of temperature on the rate of reaction?
3. Explain the effect that increasing temperature has on the rate of reaction.
4. Use your graph to determine the rate of the reaction at 40℃ and 50℃ . In theory, the rate
of reaction should double, can you suggest reasons why?
5. Write a balanced equation for the reaction given that the products are sodium chloride,
Sulphur, water and Sulphur dioxide.