Unit 8 Rates of reaction

Subtopic covered 8.1 Measuring the rate of reaction

In this topic you will: ● learn how the rate of reaction can change
● measure the rate of reaction
● use graphs to discuss and measure the rate of reaction
● explain why the rate of reaction changes

Key words anomalous result, collecting a gas over water, collisions,

gradient, rate of reaction

PRIOR KNOWLEDGE ● Able to use symbol and word equations

● Able to identify various types of reactions

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 Getting started !!
With a partner, list as many of the ways you can tell that a reaction has taken
place.
Can you suggest ways in which you could measure how quickly a reaction takes
place?
Share your ideas with the class.

Sharing your thought space !!

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Rate of reaction

● When magnesium ribbon is added to dilute sulfuric acid, you can tell a reaction is
taking place because bubbles of hydrogen gas are given off.
● When you carried out this reaction in the laboratory, you may have noticed that at the
start of the reaction a lot of bubbles were given off quickly.
● As the reaction came to an end, fewer bubbles were produced.
● Eventually, no more bubbles were produced.
● This shows that the reaction started quickly, then slowed, and eventually stopped.
● How could you measure how quick the reaction was? This is called the rate of
reaction.
● The rate of reaction can be measured by working out how much of one of the
products has been made in a given time, or how much of a reactant has been used
up in a given time.
● In the magnesium ribbon experiment, it is difficult to measure how quickly the
reactants are used up or how quickly the magnesium sulfate is formed.
● The easiest way to measure the rate is to measure how quickly the hydrogen gas is
produced. You can do this by measuring the volume of gas produced in a particular
period of time.
● To collect the gas, you can attach a syringe to the top of a flask so that no hydrogen
can escape, as shown in the diagram.
● You can use the scale on the syringe to measure the volume of gas produced at
different times during the reaction.

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 ● When you measure the rate of reaction, you find that the rate of reaction changes as
the reaction proceeds.
● Another reaction you could look at is the one between calcium carbonate and dilute
hydrochloric acid.
● As carbon dioxide gas is lost from the flask, the mass of the flask decreases.
● If you measure the mass every 30 seconds, you find that the mass decreases quickly
at first but, as the reaction continues, the mass decreases more and more slowly.

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QUICK CHECK

Answer space:

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Answer Space

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Using the graph

● A graph of the results from investigations into the rate of reaction can be used to
measure the rate of reaction at any given time.
● The slope or gradient of the line tells you how quickly the reaction is taking place.
● The steeper the slope, the faster the reaction.
● This graph shows the results of an investigation into the rate of reaction between
calcium carbonate and hydrochloric acid.

● The line is steepest at the start of the reaction. This is when the reaction is fastest.
As the slope of the line becomes less steep, the reaction is becoming slower.
● When the line levels out, it shows that no more carbon dioxide is being lost. This
means that the reaction has ended.
● This graph shows the rate of reaction between copper carbonate and hydrochloric
acid.
● You can use a graph like this to measure and compare the rates of reaction at
different times during the reaction.
● You can use the graph to find out the average volume of carbon dioxide gas given off
per second in the period between 10 seconds and 30 seconds.

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 ● To do this you should draw a line at 10 seconds on the horizontal axis up to where it
meets the line of the graph, labelled A.
● Then draw another line at 30 seconds up to the point here it meets the graph,
labelled B.
● Draw line C between A and B as shown.
● The distance of C represents the time taken, in this case 20 seconds.
● The line D shows you how much carbon dioxide was produced in this time, in this
case 20cm3
● If 20cm3 of carbon dioxide is produced in 20 seconds. Then on average the rate of
reaction over this period of time is 20cm3 in 20 seconds or 1cm3 per second.

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QUICK CHECK

Answer Space

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Answer Space

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Why does the rate of reaction change?

● We can use ideas about particle theory to answer this question.

● For a chemical reaction to take place, the particles of the reactants involved have to
collide with one another with enough energy to react together.
● At the start of the reaction there are a lot of particles that have not reacted. Collisions
happen frequently.
● This means that a lot of carbon dioxide is produced in the first 30-second period.

● As the particles react, the number of particles that have not reacted gets lower and
lower.
● The chance of two unreacted particles colliding with each other decreases.
● This means that less carbon dioxide is formed in the later 30-second periods. This
means that the rate of reaction is slower.
● Eventually, all the particles have reacted. There are no more collisions that result in
the production of carbon dioxide gas.
● The reaction has finished.

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QUICK CHECK

This exercise will help you to interpret data and plot a graph.

Sofia investigated the rate of reaction between magnesium metal and hydrochloric acid.

1. Write the word equation for this reaction.

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2. Sofia repeated her experiment three times. Explain why she did this.

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3. The table contains her results. Complete the table.

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 4. Plot a graph of Sofia's results. Draw a line of best fit.

5. When did the reaction end? Explain how you know this.

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Summary Checklist
I know how the rate of reaction changes..

I can carry out an investigation safely.

I can measure the rate of reaction.

I know why the rate of reaction changes.

Learning reflection
Share your strength:
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Area for improvement :
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Checked by :
Date : ……………………………………………

scope for improvement

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Unit 8 Rates of reaction
Subtopic covered
Key words
In this topic you will:
PRIOR KNOWLEDGE
Year 9 | Unit 8 _Rate of Reaction
8.2 Surface area and the rate of reaction
surface area
● Investigate the rate of reaction when the surface area of
one of the reactants is changed
● carry out an investigation using the reaction between
calcium carbonate and dilute hydrochloric acid
● consider how changing the shape of a material can
affect the surface area
● Able to define rate of reaction
● Able to explain change of rate using particle theory
249
 Getting started !!
● Find the surface area of each different face of this book.
● Record the surface area for each face.
● Calculate the total surface area.
● With a partner, arrange your two books so that they are touching and have the
least possible total surface area.
What is this total surface area?
● Then arrange the books so that they are touching but have the largest possible
total surface area. What is this total surface area?
● How does changing the arrangement of the books affect the surface area?

Sharing your thought space !!

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The effect of changing the surface area

● When you put magnesium ribbon in a Bunsen flame it reacts very quickly, and burns
with a bright white flame to form magnesium oxide.
● However, if you place a large block of magnesium in the Bunsen flame it does not
burn.
● If you place magnesium powder in the Bunsen flame it burns much faster than the
ribbon.

Why does this happen?

● Think about what is happening as the magnesium reacts with oxygen in the air.
● Only the magnesium atoms on the surface can make contact with the oxygen and
react with it.
● In the block of magnesium, most of the atoms are inside the block, away from the
oxygen.
● In the magnesium ribbon, more of the atoms are on the surface and react.
Magnesium ribbon has a larger total surface area than a magnesium block of the
same mass.
● An equivalent mass of magnesium powder has an even larger total surface area and
because it has the most atoms available to react, the reaction is even quicker.

● Small pieces of solids always react faster than larger pieces.

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 ● Each time you cut a solid into smaller pieces, you increase the total surface area.
● For example, these slices of bread have a total surface area greater than the loaf of
bread.

Answer Space

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Answer Space

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Answer Space (contd.)

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QUICK CHECK

Zara investigated the effect of surface area on the rate of reaction. She used a flat piece of
zinc and a lump of zinc of the same mass. She placed each of them in hydrochloric acid and
carried out the reaction, collecting the gas over water in a measuring cylinder.

1. Which gas is being collected over water?

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2. Write the word equation for this reaction.

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3. What practical problems might Zara have in obtaining her results, if she uses this
method of collecting the gas?

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Zara plotted her results of the investigation on the same graph.

4. Circle the phrase that correctly completes the sentence.

The total volume of gas produced in the two reactions after 420 seconds was:

- higher in the one with the lump of zinc

- lower in the one with the lump of zinc
- the same.
5. Describe the graph for the reaction with the flat piece of zinc. Remember to include
the times at which the reaction was fastest and slowest.

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Summary Checklist
I can safely investigate the rate of reaction when the surface area of one of the
reactants is changed.
I can carry out an investigation using the reaction between calcium carbonate and
dilute hydrochloric acid.
I know how changing the shape of a material can affect the surface area.

Learning reflection
Share your strength:
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Area for improvement :
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Checked by :
Date : ……………………………………………

scope for improvement

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Year 9 | Unit 8 _Rate of Reaction 257

Unit 8 Rates of reaction
Subtopic covered
In this topic you will:
Key words
PRIOR KNOWLEDGE
Year 9 | Unit 8 _Rate of Reaction
8.3 Temperature and the rate of reaction
● investigate the effect of temperature on the rate of
reaction
● carry out a trial run and preliminary work for the
investigation and use the information to improve the
investigation method
● select equipment
● plot a graph of results
precipitate, trial run, preliminary work
● Able to define rate of reaction
● Able to explain change of rate using particle theory
● Able to explain change of rate rate for change in
surface area
258
 Getting started !!

Write down what you mean by the phrase "rate of reaction'.

Compare your statement with a partner and discuss your answers

Discuss how the rate of reaction changes as the reaction progresses and write an
explanation of why this happens.

Be ready to share this with the class.

Sharing your thought space !!

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Changing the temperature of reactants

● If you change the temperature of the reactants in a reaction, the rate of reaction will
change.
● If you mix hydrochloric acid with a solution of sodium thiosulfate (a salt), the mixture
becomes cloudy. This is because sulfur is produced. Sulfur is insoluble in water, so it
forms a precipitate. The precipitate is opaque so, when you can no longer see
through the solution, you know the sulfur has been formed.

● The reaction is good for investigating reaction rates, because you can easily time
how long it takes for the sulfur precipitate to be formed.
● And by changing the temperature of the solution, you can investigate the effect of
temperature on reaction rates.

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Answer Space

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Answer Space

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Answer Space (contd.)

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Looking at typical results

● Here is a graph of some typical results for the rate of reaction between marble chips
(calcium carbonate) and hydrochloric acid. This was carried out as in the previous
topic.

● You can see from the graph that you do not get any more of the product (carbon
dioxide gas) at the higher temperature. You get the same volume of gas but in less
time.

QUICK CHECK:

1 How can you tell which line shows the faster reaction?

2 If you did the same experiment at 50°C what would the line on the graph be like?

Answer Space

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Explaining the effect of temperature

● Particles move all the time. When the temperature of the reaction is increased, the
particles move faster. They collide more often, and with more energy.

● The higher the temperature, the faster the rate of reaction.

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QUICK CHECK
1. Sofia and Marcus are investigating the effect of temperature on the rate of reaction.

● They have been told that they can use a suitable metal (but not in powdered form)
and an acid.
● They will use the temperature range 20 °C to 70°C with an interval of 10°C.
● They will start the stopwatch as soon as the metal is placed in the acid and stop it
again when the reaction stops.
a. Suggest a suitable metal and acid to use in this investigation.

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b. What safety precautions should Sofia and Marcus take?

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c. Which variables must they keep the same in this investigation to ensure that the test
is fair?

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d. How will they know when the reaction has stopped?

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Answer Space

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Summary Checklist
I can investigate the effect of temperature on the rate of reaction, safely.

I can carry out a trial run and preliminary work for an investigation and use the
information to improve the investigation method.
I can select equipment.

I can plot a graph of results.

I can explain the effect of temperature on the rate of reaction, using particle theory.

Learning reflection
Share your strength:
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Area for improvement :
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Checked by :

Date : ……………………………………………

scope for improvement

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Year 9 | Unit 8 _Rate of Reaction 269

Unit 8 Rates of reaction
Subtopic covered
In this topic you will:
Key words
PRIOR KNOWLEDGE
Year 9 | Unit 8 _Rate of Reaction
8.4 Concentration and the rate of reaction
● investigate the effect of concentration on the rate of
reaction
● plan an investigation
● explain the effect of changes in concentration on the
rate of reaction, using particle theory
concentration, dilute
● Able to define rate of reaction
● Able to explain change of rate using particle theory
● Able to explain change of rate for change in
temperature
270
 Getting started !!

With a partner, discuss what you think would happen if you carried out an experiment with
marble chips (calcium carbonate) using the same mass of chips, all materials at the same
temperature but with different concentrations of acid.

Sharing your thought space !!

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What is concentration?

● A solid substance that dissolves in a liquid is called a solute, the liquid is called a
solvent and the two when mixed together form a solution
● Most chemical reactions occur between solutes which are dissolved in solvents, such
as water or an organic solvent
● Concentration simply refers to the amount of solute there is in a specific volume of
the solvent
● The greater the amount of solute in a given volume, the greater the concentration
● The amount of solute can be expressed in grams or moles
● Typically, concentration is expressed in terms of the amount of substance per dm3,
therefore the units of concentration are either: g/dm3 or mol/dm3.
● 1dm3 = 1 Liter = 1000 ml

Typical results

● The graph below shows some typical results for the rate of reaction between marble
chips and dilute hydrochloric acid.
● These results have been obtained from an experiment in which the volume of carbon
dioxide has been measured every 10 seconds.
● Not like the experiment you have just carried out.

You can see from the graph that you do not get any more product (carbon dioxide gas) at the
higher concentration. You get the same volume of gas, but more quickly.

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QUICK CHECK

1. How can you tell which line on the graph shows the faster reaction?
2. If you did the same experiment with an even less concentrated acid what would the
line on the graph be like?
3. Zara and Sofia are investigating the effect of changing the concentration on the rate
of reaction between dilute sulfuric acid and zinc. They have been given a number of
pieces of zinc of the same size and mass but only one bottle of dilute sulfuric acid.
Their first task is to make up five different concentrations of the acid.

Explain how they would make solutions of five different concentrations of sulfuric
acid. Remember to explain how they will measure the liquids accurately.

Answer space

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Explaining the effect of concentration

● Once again, we can use particle theory to help explain these results.
● The higher the concentration of hydrochloric acid, the more hydrochloric acid
particles there are in a given amount of space.
● This means that there will be more frequent collisions between hydrochloric acid
particles and calcium carbonate particles.

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Summary Checklist
I can plan an investigation.

I can investigate the effect of concentration on the rate of reaction, safely.

I can explain the effect of changes in concentration on the rate of reaction using
particle theory.

Learning reflection
Share your strength:
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Area for improvement :
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Checked by :
Date : ……………………………………………

scope for improvement

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CHECK YOUR PROGRESS

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Answer Space

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Summary Checklist
I can plan an investigation.

I can investigate the effect of concentration on the rate of reaction, safely.

I can explain the effect of changes in concentration on the rate of reaction using
particle theory.

Learning reflection
Share your strength:
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Area for improvement :
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Checked by :
Date : ……………………………………………

scope for improvement

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