Chemistry Experiment- Varying the concentration

Objective: This experiment aims to investigate how varying the concentration of a solution
affects the rate of a chemical reaction.

Hypothesis: Varying the concentration will affect the rate of reaction. As the concentration
of the solution increases, the rate of the chemical reaction will also increase.

Materials used:
1. Water
2. Vinegar (acetic acid)
3. Baking powder (sodium bicarbonate)
4. Measuring apparatus
5. Stopwatch or timer
6. Stirring rod
7. Polystyrene Cup
8. Safety goggles
9. Lab coat or apron (optional)
Variables and constants:
 Independent variable: Concentration of the solution (varied by adjusting the amount
of solute added to the solvent)
 Dependent variable: Rate of reaction (measured by the time taken for
fizzing/effervescence to stop)
 Constants:
 Temperature: The experiment should be conducted at a constant
temperature throughout.
 The volume of the solution: The total volume of the solution should remain
constant.
 Pressure: The experiment should be conducted at atmospheric pressure.
 Stirring: The solution should be stirred consistently and at the same rate.
Steps
1. Put on safety goggles to protect your eyes.
2. Prepare four different solution concentrations by mixing water and vinegar in the
following ratios (concentrations): 50ml vinegar, 40ml vinegar + 10ml water, 30ml
vinegar + 20ml water, and 20ml vinegar + 30ml water.
3. Label four polystyrene cups with the corresponding concentrations like this.

4. Pour the different solutions into their respective labelled containers.

 5. Add one teaspoon (5g) of baking powder to each container and start the stopwatch
immediately.
6. Stir each solution gently and consistently using a stirring rod.
7. Observe and record the time the fizzing stops completely in each container.
8. Repeat steps 2-7 three times to ensure the accuracy and consistency of results.
9. Calculate the average time for each concentration.
10. Compile and organise the data obtained.

Result
Concentration Trial 1 (s) Trial 2 (s) Trial 3 (s) Average (s)
(%)
100 126 120 124 123.3
80 143 141 145 143
60 165 166 165 165.3
40 188 183 185 185.3

Observations

Effervescence and foaming of the solution are noticed immediately after adding the sodium
bicarbonate for all four solutions. The solution becomes less viscous as the reaction
progresses. The colour of the solution does not change. Effervescence decreases as the
experiment progresses.
As the concentration of vinegar increases, the average time for the reaction to occur
decreases. The reaction takes the shortest time (fastest rate) for 100% vinegar and the
longest (slowest rate) for 25% vinegar.

Conclusions and limitations:

Upon conducting the experiment and analysing the data, the following conclusions can be
drawn regarding the effect of concentration on the rate of the chemical reaction:
1. The reaction rate increases as the solution concentration increases: The experiment
consistently showed that as the concentration of vinegar increased, the average time
for the reaction to occur decreased. This suggests that a higher concentration of the
solution leads to a faster rate of chemical reaction between vinegar and baking
powder.
2. Concentration plays a significant role in determining the reaction rate: The results
indicate that concentration is an essential factor influencing the rate of the chemical
reaction. As the concentration of vinegar increased, there was a greater number of
reactant particles per unit volume, resulting in more frequent collisions and a higher
probability of successful collisions. This increased collision frequency and
effectiveness contributed to a faster reaction rate.
3. The reaction rate varies inversely with the concentration of the solution: The
experiment demonstrated an inverse relationship between concentration and
reaction time. As the concentration of vinegar decreased, the reaction time
increased, indicating a slower rate of chemical reaction. This suggests that a lower
solution concentration reduces the number of reactant particles, resulting in fewer
collisions and a lower reaction rate.
However, there were some limitations to this experiment.
1. Temperature fluctuations: Although temperature was mentioned as a constant in the
experiment, it is possible that slight temperature variations occurred during the
experiment. Temperature changes can affect reaction rates, and any fluctuations
could introduce some inconsistency in the results.
2. Stirring rate variability: While the experiment specified consistent stirring, it can be
challenging to maintain the same stirring rate throughout all trials. Variations in
stirring rate can affect the mixing and reaction kinetics, potentially influencing the
reaction rate and introducing some variability in the results.
3. Human error in time measurement: The experiment relies on human observation
and manual time measurements, which may introduce some human error. Reaction
times may be subject to slight variations depending on the observer's reaction time
or the precision of the stopwatch used.
4. Limited sample size: The experiment specified three trials for each concentration, a
relatively small sample size. A larger sample size would provide more reliable and
statistically significant data, reducing the impact of random variations and enhancing
the accuracy of the results.
5. Homogeneity of solution: The experiment assumes that the solutions are
homogenous and well-mixed throughout the reaction process. However, slight
concentration variations or incomplete mixing are possible, which may affect the
reaction rate within the solution.
6. Presence of impurities: The reagents used in the experiment, such as vinegar and
baking powder, may contain impurities or additional compounds that could influence
the reaction rate. The presence of impurities can introduce uncertainties in the
results and affect the reliability of the observed relationship between concentration
and reaction rate.
Chemistry experiment: Changing the surface area
Objective: This experiment investigates how varying surface area factors affect the reaction
rate. Specifically, we will observe the change in the reaction rate by varying the surface area
of a solution containing vitamin C tablets and record the time taken for the tablet to
disappear.

Hypothesis: As the surface area of the vitamin C tablet increases, the rate of the reaction
between the vitamin C tablet and vinegar will increase.

Materials used:
 Vitamin C tablets
 Measuring spoons
 Measuring cups
 Polystyrene Cups
 Stirring rod or spoon
 Stopwatch or timer
 Safety goggles
 Lab coat or apron (optional)

Variables and Constants:

 Independent variable: Surface area of vitamin C tablets
 Dependent variable: Time taken for the vitamin C tablet to disappear
 Constants: Concentration of vinegar, temperature, stirring method, and time interval
for measurement
Steps
1. Put on safety goggles and a lab coat/apron (if available) to ensure safety during the
experiment.
2. Measure 50ml of vinegar using a measuring cup, and pour 50ml into each container.
3. Crush one vitamin C tablet into a fine powder using a mortar and pestle.
4. Add the powdered vitamin C to the first container and stir the mixture well until the
tablet dissolves completely.
5. Repeat step 4 for the second container, but split it into four pieces this time.
6. Repeat step 4 for the container, but use a whole vitamin C tablet without crushing it.
7. Start the stopwatch or timer as soon as the vitamin C tablet is added to each
container, and stop it when the tablet dissolves completely, or there are no visible
changes in the solution.
8. Record the time the tablet takes to dissolve or the reaction to complete in each
container.
9. Repeat steps 3-8 two more times to ensure the reliability of the results.
10. Calculate the average time taken for the tablet to dissolve or the reaction to
complete for each surface area of the vitamin C tablet.
Result
Surface Area Trial 1 (s) Trial 2 (s) Trial 3 (s) Average (s)
Whole tablet 180 180 182 180.7
Split into 4 151 156 155 154
pieces
Fine powder 95 100 99 98

Observations

When the vitamin C tablet is added to the vinegar solution, it starts to dissolve, and
effervescence occurs. As the reaction progresses, the Vitamin C tablet dissolves and
disappears from the solution. The colour of the solution changes from colourless to orange.
The effervescence decreases as the reaction progresses.

As the surface area increased, the time taken for the vitamin C tablet to disappear reduced.
The reaction takes the shortest time (fastest rate) for powdered vitamin C and the longest
(slowest rate) for vitamin C as a whole tablet.

(image)

Conclusions and limitations

Upon conducting the experiment and analyzing the data, the following conclusions can be
drawn regarding the effect of surface area on the rate of the chemical reaction:
1. The rate of the chemical reaction increases as the surface area of the reactant
increases: The experiment consistently showed that as the surface area of the
vitamin C tablet increased, the average time for the tablet to dissolve decreased. This
suggests that a larger surface area leads to a faster rate of the chemical reaction
between the vitamin C tablet and vinegar.
2. Surface area is a critical factor influencing the reaction rate: The results indicate that
surface area plays a significant role in determining the rate of the chemical reaction.
When the vitamin C tablet is crushed into a fine powder, exposing more particles and
increasing the surface area, there is higher frequency of effective collisions between
 the reactant particles and the vinegar molecules. This contributes to a faster reaction
rate.
3. The reaction rate varies inversely with the surface area of the reactant: The
experiment demonstrated an inverse relationship between surface area and the time
taken for the tablet to dissolve. As the surface area of the vitamin C tablet decreased
(e.g., when using a whole tablet), the reaction time increased, indicating a slower
reaction rate. This suggests that a smaller surface area reduces the number of
contact points between the reactant particles and the vinegar molecules, resulting in
fewer collisions and a lower reaction rate.
Limitations of the experiment investigating the effect of varying the surface area of a vitamin
C tablet on the rate of the chemical reaction with vinegar include:
1. Specificity to the reaction system: The experiment focused on the specific reaction
between vitamin C tablets and vinegar. The results may not directly apply to
reactions involving different reactants or chemical systems. The observed effects of
surface area on reaction rates may vary depending on the specific characteristics and
properties of the reactants involved.
2. Neglecting other factors: While the experiment focused on the influence of surface
area, other factors that can affect reaction rates were not explored. Variables such as
temperature, concentration, and stirring method were kept constant, assuming they
would not significantly impact the results. However, these factors may interact with
surface area and potentially affect the observed rate of reaction.
3. Tablet composition and impurities: The experiment did not consider the influence of
tablet composition or the presence of impurities within the vitamin C tablets.
Variations in tablet composition, such as the inclusion of binding agents or fillers,
could affect the rate of dissolution and the overall reaction kinetics. Similarly,
impurities within the tablets may introduce inconsistencies and impact the observed
reaction rates.
4. Simplified measurement of reaction rate: The experiment measured the reaction rate
based on the time taken for the tablet to dissolve completely or the reaction to occur
visibly. While this provides an approximate measure of the reaction rate, it may not
capture all aspects of the reaction kinetics. Intermediate stages or the rate of gas
production, for example, were not directly measured, potentially overlooking
relevant factors that could influence the overall rate of reaction.
5. Environmental and experimental variations: The experiment was conducted under
specific laboratory conditions. Variations in environmental factors, such as
temperature and atmospheric pressure, were not accounted for, which could
introduce inconsistencies in the results. Additionally, the experiment relied on
human judgment and visual observations, which may be subject to subjective
interpretation and inherent variability.