Rate Of Reaction vs Temperature

Underlying knowledge and understanding

C5.2a To be able to suggest practical methods for determining the rate of a given
reaction

C5.2b To be able to interpret rate of reaction graphs

C5.2c To be able to describe the effect of changes in temperature, concentration,

pressure, and surface area on rate of reaction

C5.2d To be able to explain the effects on rates of reaction of changes in

temperature, concentration and pressure in terms of frequency and energy of
collision between particles

Rate vs temperature

In this experiment, we will find out how temperature affects the rate of reaction
between sodium thiosulphate Na2S2O3 with hydrochloric acid.

The thing is both sodium thiosulphate and the acid are colourless and no
appreciable amount of gas is evolved so how do we measure the reaction
rate? However, when the two solutions are added to each other they turn
cloudy and then produce a yellow precipitate of sulphur.

Measuring the time it takes for the sulphur precipitate to cover a mark on paper
—it’s sometimes called the “disappearing cross” experiment— is inversely
proportional to the reaction rate. In other words the longer it takes for the
cloudiness to obscure the mark on paper the slower the reaction rate.
Results will be consistent if we use the same mark in each experiment and the
same apparatus and solutions. All we will change is the temperature of the
solutions. It also helps if the same person looks to see when the cross is covered.

The conventional set up looks like this:

Here is a set of typical results the like of which you can find any number on the
internet.
These are reliable results since we have three results per temperature and these
are then averaged to give the final value that can then be plotted.

As you can see the greater the temperature, the shorter the time it takes for the
precipitate of sulphur to cover the cross. Increasing the reaction temperature
increases the rate of formation of the sulphur.

Explanation
We can use collision theory to explain the effect of temperature on reaction
rate. Increasing temperature we can argue increases the frequency of motion
and therefore the frequency of collision between particles of acid and
thiosulphate.
However, reactions require a certain level of energy before the molecules collide
successfully. So increasing the temperature must push more molecules over the
energy limit for the reaction and so ensure the reaction rate increases. In other
words, increasing the temperature of reaction increases the frequency of
successful collisions.

Rate of Reaction

1. A student carried out an experiment to find the effect of increasing the temperature on the rate
of reaction. She reacted 0.5 g magnesium ribbon with 50 cm3 of dilute hydrochloric acid and
recorded the time taken to collect 100 cm3 of Hydrogen gas.

The student repeated the experiment at five different teperatures. The graph shows the results
she obtained.
a. Why did she use five different temperatures?
b. What conditions should be made from the graph about the rate of reaction and
temperature?
c. Explain, in terms of collisions, why changes the temperature affect the rate of reaction.
d. Using the graph, state the time , in seconds, that would be needed to produce100 cm3 of
hydrogen gas at 35’c.
e. The student wanted to be double the surface area of the magnesium ribbon and repeat the
experiment at 40’C.
f. Suggest how long it would take to collect 100cm3of hydrogen gas if the magnesium’s
surface area was doble and there was an excess of HCl
g. Explain in terms of collisions, your answer to part 1.