PartITeacher’sNotesGuidelines-CannavinoLibrary.docVIP

SOTM LAB: C7 I: TEACHER NOTES GUIDELINES TITLE OF LAB: Chemical Kinetics: Concentration vs. Reaction Rate DEVELOPERS OF LAB: Michael Boms (JD814), Phillip Cameron (JD522), Gail Gold (JD889), Mark Tretter (JD580); Kathy Poncelet (JD521), Mikki Bieber (JD705), Pamela Iacovella (JD723), SOTM staff OVERVIEW OF LAB DESCRIPTION A spectrophotometer will be used to study different aspects of the kinetics of a reaction. The effect of concentration of one of the reactants will be investigated initially to explore the reaction and to introduce students to the use of the Spectronic-20 spectrophotometer. After completing the initial experiment, students will propose and design an experiment to investigate another factor which they think may affect the rate of this reaction. The reaction to be studied is that between sodium thiosulfate and hydrochloric acid. The thiosulfate ion decomposes in an acid solution producing colloidal sulfur: S2O32-(aq) + 2 H+ (aq) ( S(s) + SO2 + H2O(l) The times measured are those required to produce the same degree of turbidity produced by the formation of colloidal sulfur. The reaction will be run with different concentrations of S2O32- reacting with excess HCl (aq). The results obtained will be used to develop a graph of the sodium thiosulfate concentration vs. the length of time it takes for the colloidal sulfur to be formed. Once the graph is constructed, the rate of the reaction at any given time, the order of the reaction and the rate constant (k) for the reaction can be determined. CURRICULUM CONSIDERATIONS As written, the lab is intended for above average Regents Chemistry or AP Chemistry students who are studying chemical kinetics including the rate laws and orders of reactions. This lab can be simplified for use with other students for studying factors that affect rates of reactions and limiting reactants. Analysis of data can be done using a spreadsheet and graphing software if students are familiar wi