Experiment No. 04 (Chemical Kinetics and Chemical Equilibria)
Experiment No. 04 (Chemical Kinetics and Chemical Equilibria)
1Student, CpE/B25, School of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry, Mapua Institute of Technology
2Professor, School of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry, Mapua Institute of Technology
1. To illustrate the effects of various factors affecting the rates of chemical reactions
2. To demonstrate the effects of changing the concentration and temperature to the equilibrium of a
system.
Generally, we saw the factors affecting rates of chemical reactions and the effect of
concentration and temperature to the equilibrium of a system. The change in concentration of a
reactant or a product per unit of time is known as the rate of a reaction. In this experiment, our
objective is to determine the rate of reaction performed in each type. Upon concluding for a
chemical equation for a reaction, you can determine the following change in concentration of a
product or reactant quantitatively. Factors affecting rates of chemical reactions include nature of
reactants, concentration, temperature, and the catalyst. In part A of the experiment, we saw how
the aluminum and iron react with the hydrochloric acid. From this, we observed that aluminum
reacted faster than the iron. This shows how nature of reactants affected the rate of reaction. As
for the concentration in part C, if the concentration of the reactants increases, the rate of
reaction probably increases. The more the reactants that causes collisions, the faster the rate.
We saw how the 1.5M of hydrochloric acid with magnesium ribbon reacted faster than of the
0.5M. Temperature also affects the rate of reaction. If the temperature increases, the rate of
reaction also increases. At certain point, some chemical substances is altered and the reaction
will slow or stop. Catalysts are substances that accelerate the rate of reaction but remain
chemically unchanged afterwards. This was seen in part D of the experiment when the cupric
sulfate was added to the hydrogen peroxide. By observing the color of the mixture or by
formation of precipitate, changing the concentration of a substance and the temperature of the
mixture follows the shift in the direction of the equilibrium. Part E and I justifies the reaction. In
part E, we noted that as we add hydrochloric acid and sodium hydroxide in the potassium
chromate, color changes from yellow-orange-yellow-orange. Part I justifies that precipitates are
formed around the mixture after some time.