Objective: The objective of this lab was to determine the rate law of the oxidation of iodine by

bromate in the presence of an acid.

Data Analysis:
Part 1 Data Table Find the Volume of One Drop of Solution

Part 2 Data Table - Determine the Reaction Rate and Calculate the Rate Law
Time (s)
Experiment
No.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7

Trial 1

Trial 2

Trial 3

Average

Temp. oC

61.86
46.44
50.76
23.62
34.82
21.20
15.58

98.08
13.64
70.88
45.19
95.55
37.13
15.58

98.08
Anomaly
30.50
45.19
Anomaly
24.30
44.87

86.01
30.04
50.71
38.00
65.19
27.54
25.34

22.5
22.5
22.5
26.0
26.0
25.5
25.5

Part 3 Data Table Determine the Activation Energy

Approximat
e
Temperature
, oC
0.0

Time of Reaction (s)

Measured
Measured
Measure
Trial 1
Trial
Trial
Temperature Temperature Temperature
2
3
, oC
,K
, K-1
7.0

280.0

20.0

22.5

295.5

40.0

47.0

320.0

1
280.0
1
295.5
1
320.0

174.72
61.86
Anomal
y

Averag
e Time

434.3
3
98.08

297.9
2
98.08

328.99

16.99

17.17

17.08

86.01

Part 4 Data Table Observe the Effect of a Catalyst on the Rate

Reaction Time (s)
86.01
7.67

Uncatalyzed Reaction
Catalyzed Reaction

Calculations:
Part 1. Calculate the volume of one drop of solution. Assume the density of water to be 1.00
g/mol.
1

Volume of one drop =

=

.
.

= 1.28 10-5 L

Part 2a. Calculate the Rate.

The rate will be expressed as - [BrO3-]/
Na2S2O3 solution. Calculate the number of moles of S2O32- present in one drop:
Volume of 1 drop (in L) x (0.0010 mol/Na2S2O3/L) x (1 mol S2O32-/1 mol Na2S2O3) = moles
S2O32- ions
1.28 x 10-5 L x (0.0010 mol/Na2S2O3/L) x (1 mol S2O32-/1 mol Na2S2O3) = 1.28 x 108- moles
S2O32The blue color begins to appear when allthe thiosulfate ion is consumed. Examination of
reactions 1 and 2 allows us to calculate the moles of BrO3- which react as all of the S2O32- ion is
used up:
mol S2O32- x (1 mol I2/2 mol S2O32-) x (1 mol BrO3-/3 mol I2) = mol BrO3- reacted
1.28 x 108- moles S2O32- x (1 mol I2/2 mol S2O32-) x (1 mol BrO3-/3 mol I2) = 2.13 x 109- mol
BrO3- reacted
The value of - [BrO3-] in all reactions since all experiment have a total volume of 12 drops, is:
- [BrO3-] = (mol BrO3- reacted /volume of 12 drops)

The rate of each reaction can be found by diving - [BrO3-] by the number of seconds for the
reaction to take place.
Rate=- [BrO3-]/ time

Reaction Rate, M/s

1.387 x 10-5 86.01 = 1.61 x 10-7
1.387 x 10-5 30.04 = 4.62 x 10-7
1.387 x 10-5 50.71 = 2.74 x 10-7
1.387 x 10-5 38.00 = 3.65 x 10-7
1.387 x 10-5 65.19 = 2.13 x 10-7
1.387 x 10-5 27.54 = 5.04 x 10-7
1.387 x 10-5 25.34 = 5.47 x 10-7

Exp 1
Exp 2
Exp 3
Exp 4
Exp 5
Exp 6
Exp 7
Part 2B. Calculate Initial Concentrations.

Calculate the initial concentration of each reactant for each experiment. There are the
concentrations fo each reaction after all the reactants have been mixed, but before any reaction
has taken place. This will not be the same as the concentration of the starting solution because
combing the reactants dilutes all of the solutions. On dilution, the number of moles of reactant
stays the same. Therefore:
No.moles= V concentrated x M concentrated = Vdilute x M dilute
Where V concentrated and M concentrated are the volume and molarity of the starting, concentrated
solutions and Vdilute and M dilute are the volume and molarity of the diluted reaction mixtures.
Since volumes will be proportional to the number of drops of solution used, the number of drops
substitute for volumes.
For example, in experiment 1 the intial [I-] is found as follows:
[I-] = (2 drops x 0.01 MKI) / (12 drops solution)= 0.0017 M
In general terms:
Initial concentration of each reactant = (number of drops x molarity) 12
Find the initial concentration of each reactant and record in the data table below.

Experiment 1
Experiment 2

Initial Concentrations, Moles/Liter

[I-]
[BrO3-]
(2 x 0.01) 12 = 0.0017 (2 x 0.04) 12 = 0.0067
(4 x 0.01) 12 = 0.0033 (2 x 0.04) 12 = 0.0067

[H+]
(2 x 0.1) 12 = 0.017
(2 x 0.1) 12 = 0.017

Experiment 3
Experiment 4
Experiment 5
Experiment 6
Experiment 7

(6 x 0.01) 12 = 0.0050
(2 x 0.01) 12 = 0.0017
(2 x 0.01) 12 = 0.0017
(2 x 0.01) 12 = 0.0017
(2 x 0.01) 12 = 0.0017

(2 x 0.04) 12 = 0.0067
(4 x 0.04) 12 = 0.013
(6 x 0.04) 12 = 0.020
(2 x 0.04) 12 = 0.0067
(2 x 0.04) 12 = 0.0067

(2 x 0.1) 12 = 0.017
(2 x 0.1) 12 = 0.017
(2 x 0.1) 12 = 0.017
(4 x 0.1) 12 = 0.033
(6 x 0.1) 12 = 0.050

Part 2C. Calculate the Order of Each Reactant.

Next, the values for the exponents x, y, and z need to be determined. The experiment is designed
so that the concentration of one ion changes while the others remain constant. Comparing values
in experiments 1,2,and3, we see that experiment 2 has double the I- concentration as experiment
1 and, and experiment 3 has triple the I- concentration as experiment 1.
Substitute the concentration values for experiments 1 and 2 in into the equation:
Rate= k[I-]x[BrO3-]y[H=]z
Experiment 1: Rate1 = k[I-]x[BrO3-]y[H+]z
Experiment 2: Rate2 = k[I-]x[BrO3-]y[H+]z
Divide and solve for x. Report the value of x to the nearest integer.
Rate1 Rate2 = [I-]x [I-]x
(1.61 x 10-7) (4.62 x 10-7) = [0.0017]x [0.0033]x
0.348 = 0.515x
x = (log 0.348) (log 0.515)
x = 1.59
Repeat the calculations using experiments 1 and 3 to confirm the value for x
Experiment 3 Rate3 = k[I-]x[BrO3-]y[H+]z
Rate1 Rate3 = [I-]x [I-]x
(1.61 x 10-7) (2.74 x 10-7) = [0.0017]x [0.0050]x
0.588 = 0.340x
x = (log0.588) (log0.340)
x= 0.492
Average x = ((1.59 + 0.492)/2) = 1.04
Rounded: 1.00
Experiment 1 Rate1 = k[I-]x[BrO3-]y[H+]z
Experiment 4 Rate4 = k[I-]x[BrO3-]y[H+]z
Rate1 Rate4 = [BrO3-]y [BrO3-]y
Divide and solve for y. Report the value of y to the nearest integer.
(1.61 x 10-7) (3.65 x 10-7) = [0.0067]y [0.013]y
0.441 = 0.515y
y = (log 0.441) (log 0.515)
y= 1.23
Repeat the calculations using experiments 1 and 5 to confirm the value for y.
Experiment 5 Rate5 = k[I-]x[BrO3-]y[H+]z

Rate1 Rate5 = [BrO3-]y [BrO3-]y

(1.61 x 10-7) ( 2.13 x 10-7) = [0.0067]y [0.020]y
0.700 = 0.335y
y = log 0.700 log 0.335
y= 0.326
Average y = ((1.23 + 0.326)/2) = 0.778
Rounded: 1.00
Experiment 1 Rate1 = k[I-]x[BrO3-]y[H+]z
Experiment 6 Rate6 = k[I-]x[BrO3-]y[H+]z
Rate1 Rate6 = [H+]z [H+]z
(1.61 x 10-7) (5.04 x 10-7) = [0.017]z [0.033]z
0.319 = 0.515z
z = (log 0.319) (log 0.515)
z= 1.72
Repeat the calculations using experiments 1 and 7 to confirm the value for z.
Experiment 7 Rate7 = k[I-]x[BrO3-]y[H+]z
Rate1 Rate7 = [BrO3-]z [BrO3-]z
(1.61 x 10-7) (5.47 x 10-7)= [0.017]z [0.005]z
0.294 = 0.340z
z = (log 0.294) (log 0.340)
z= 1.13
Average z = ((1.72 + 1.13)/2) = 1.43
Rounded: 1.00
Part 2D. Find the Rate Constant.
Substitute data from each experiment into the rate law equation to find the value of k. Report the
average value of k.
Value of k =
Experiment
1
2
3
4
5
6
7

Value of k
1.61 x 10-7 [0.0017]1.00[0.0067]1.00[0.017]1.00 =
0.8315
4.62 x 10-7 [0.0033]1.00[0.0067]1.00[0.017]1.00 =
1.229
2.74 x 10-7 [0.0050]1.00[0.0067]1.00[0.017]1.00 =
0.4811
3.65 x 10-7 [0.0017]1.00[0.013]1.00[0.017]1.00 =
0.9715
2.13 x 10-7 [0.0017]1.00[0.020]1.00[0.017]1.00 =
0.3685
5.04 x 10-7 [0.0017]1.00[0.0067]1.00[0.033]1.00 =
1.341
5.47 x 10-7 [0.0017]1.00[0.0067]1.00[0.050]1.00 =

0.9605
Average value of k = (0.8315 + 1.229 + 0.4811 + 0.9715 + 0.3685 + 1.341 +0.9605) 7 =
0.8833
Part 3. Calculate the Activation Energy, Ea
Using the data from Part 3, calculate the values listed in the table below for each measured
temperature.
Measured
Temperature,
K
280.0

Measured
Temperature-1,
K-1
3.57 x 10-3

Average
Time, s

Rate of Reaction, M/s Rate

Constant, k
.

288.49

295.5

3.38 x 10-3

86.01

320.0

3.13 x 10-3

17.01
7

=4.81 x 10-

=1.61 x 10-

=8.15 x 10-

ln k

(4.81 x 10-1.393
8
)/
([0.0017][0.
0067][0.017
])=0.2484
(1.61 x 10-.1845
7
)/([0.0017][
0.0067][0.0
17])=0.8315
(8.15 x 10-7) 1.437
/([0.0017][0
.0067][0.01
7])= 4.209

Post-Lab Questions

1.

Why does the reaction rate change as concentrations of the reactants change?

In order for a reaction to occur, the particles within the reactants of the chemical reaction
must collide with one another. This is true whether the particles are within a solution (a liquid or
aqueous reactant) or whether one is in a solution (a liquid or aqueous reactant) and the other a
solid (a solid reactant). Therefore the concentrations of the reactants play a crucial role in the
probability of the particles collisions. For example, if the concentrations of the reactants are
higher, then the chance of collision between the particles of the reactants is greater. As the
reaction rate is a factor of the number of collisions within a reaction, it is also dependent upon
the reactant concentrations (which determine the probability of particle collisions).
Mathematically we can observe this direct relationship by observing the equation for the reaction
rate in this experiment: Rate= k[A]x[B]y[C]y. From the rate we see that as the concentrations of

the reactants increase and the K (rate constant) and the x,y,z (reactant orders) stay the same,
the reaction rate will increase directly, due to its direct proportionality.

2. Explain the general procedure used to find the rate law.

Unless having knowledge of the reaction mechanism, the only way to determine the rate law
is by running many trials of the reaction with differing initial reactant concentrations in order to
measure the reaction rate. In order to determine the differing rates of the reaction you would
change the concentration of only one of the reactants per trial and repeat until the concentration
of each reactant has been changed and tried for results. If we are for example given data from
two or more experiments at the same temperature with different reactant concentrations and
different reactant rates then we can determine the exponents associated with each reactant
concentration (the order of the reactant) by using the differential rate law. This can be done by
simply creating a ratio between the rate of experiment one and experiment two, as each
experiment should have differing reactant concentrations. By then cancelling the common terms
in the ratio, one can solve for the exponents attached to the reactant concentrations. If the
reaction orders and the initial concentrations are however provided, you can easily determine the
rate law by simply plugging the known values into the rate equation.
3. Why does the reaction rate change as temperature changes?
The reaction rates change and the temperature change are directly proportional. This is true
because reaction rate is dependent upon the number of collisions within a chemical reaction
which is ultimately controlled by the temperature. Temperature ultimately controls the rate at
which these collisions occurs because it changes the nature of the particles; while particles
introduced to heat move around and thus collide rapidly, those introduced to the cold move
around slowly and collide gradually, if at all. Therefore the temperature ultimately determines
the reaction rate; the higher the temperature, the quicker the particle collision, the lower the
temperature, the slower the particle collision. So that if the temperature changes, increasing or
decreasing, the reaction rate will change accordingly, increasing or decreasing.
4. Explain the general procedure used to determine the activation energy.
In order to determine the activation energy of a chemical reaction the indirect application of
the Arrhenius equation is required. As the reaction runs under constant conditions and amounts
of starting material but with varying temperatures, the reaction rate constant can be determined at
each ones of these temperatures throughout the experimentation. The reaction is run at two
temperatures at the least, though the more the merrier. If only two different temperatures are
used to determine the rate constant of the reaction, then the equation: ln(k1/k2)=(Ea/R)(1/T21/T1)(T in Kelvin) is applied. If the temperature and rate constant (k) is determined, and as R is a
fixed integer, in order to solve for activation energy (Ea) you would simply have to plug in the

different variables within the equation, isolate Ea and solve. However if more than two
temperatures are used then a graph of ln(k) can be plotted against (1/T) so that the slope is equal
to Ea/R and the intercept is lnA. In this situation, Ea can be determined by dividing the slope
found by the integer R and multiplying by -1 (as the slope is Ea/R).

5.

Differentiate between reaction rate and specific rate constant.

The reaction rate for a reactant or product is the rate at which a reaction proceeds and is thus
dependent upon the molar concentration of the reactants at any given time. The reaction rate also
changes due to temperature change, as temperature differences effect the particle collisions
needed for a reaction to occur, it effects the rate at which the reaction occurs. The reaction rate
also changes due to the introduction of catalysts which by lowering the activation energy, speeds
up the reaction. The specific rate constant is an experimentally determined constant which is
different for different reactions and changes due to temperature change. The specific rate
constant is found upon altering the temperature of the reactions environment and running
multiple experiments under otherwise the same conditions in order to determine the rate constant
for the given temperature.

6. Comment on the effect of the catalyst. Predict how the activation energy changes when a
catalyst is added to the reaction.
The activation energy (Ea) of a reaction signifies the minimum energy required to start a
chemical reaction. As a catalyst is a substance that works to speed up a reaction without actually
altering its chemical composition, the introduction of a catalyst within a chemical reaction works
to lower the activation energy so that the reactions probability of full occurrence (i.e. the
creation of products) is greater. The catalyst does so by increasing the rate of the reaction but
maintains the same energies of the original reactant or products. The catalyst, most importantly,
is not consumed by the reaction. Within this experiment specifically, when the catalyst was
introduced towards the end, the rates in general sped up.
7) Make a general statement about the consistency of the data by calculating the orders of
reactants, and by the graphical analysis which leads to activation energy. Were the calculated
orders close to the integers? Did the check of the order give the same value for the order? Were
the points on the graph close to a straight line?
The graph we constructed, lnk on the vertical axis versus 1/T on the horizontal axis,
indicated that the reaction was a single-rate limited process due to its straight line. While our
average calculated reactant orders differed slightly from the graphical representation of the order
of the reactants, the same general result for the order carried: first order. Our average calculated

results were as followed: for I- the reactant order was 1.04, for BrO3- the reactant order was 0.778
and for H+ the reactant order was 1.43. While our calculated results for the order of the reactants
were similar to the general order of the reactants indicated by our graph, our checks for each
reactants order were generally not close to the original value. For example, for I-, the originally
calculated order of the reactant (using experiments 1 and 2) was 1.59, whereas the check for the
order of the reactant (using experiments 1 and 3) was 0.492. For BrO3-, the originally calculated
order of the reactant (using experiments 1 and 4) was 1.23, whereas the check for the order of the
reactant (using experiments 1 and 5) was 0.326. For H+ the originally calculated order of the
reactants (using experiments 1 and 6) was 1.72, whereas the check for the order of the reactant
(using experiments 1 and 7) was 1.13. The discrepancy between our checks and our original
value for the differing reactant order was the reason we averaged these two numerical values for
we found in the end it would work in our indicative favor (closer to 1.00). Overall the points on
the graph, as mentioned previously, were close to a straight line, indicating the reaction was
overall a first order reaction.
Conclusion:
The purpose of this lab was to determine the rate law of the oxidation of iodine by bromat
in the presence of an acid. Ultimately my partners, Louis and Lisa, and I completed the purpose
of this experiment as we were able to use our data, collected under different conditions, such as
temperature change and the presence of a catalyst, in order to determine the differing and overall
rate constants, reactant order(s) and rate(s) of the reaction. The average calculated reactant orders
were: x=1.04 (I-), y=0.778 (BrO3-), z=1.43(H+). All these calculated reactant orders, when
rounded, wouldve produced 1.00; in other words, the overall reaction was first order restricted.
The average rate constant, k, was 0.8833 and the rates for each trial were accordingly: 1.61 x 107
, 4.62 x 10-7, 2.74 x 10-7, 3.65 x 10-7, 2.13 x 10-7, 5.04 x 10-7, 5.47 x 10-7. When we conducted
the experiment under differing temperaturesapproximately 0 degrees Celsius, twenty degrees
Celsius, forty degrees Celsiuswe noticed that as the temperature increased the rate of each
experiment increased rate as well (i.e. the rate of each reaction increased as the temperature
increased). Our results for the different temperature experiments were as followed: 4.81 x 108(10 degrees Celsius), 1.61 x 107- (25.5 degrees Celsius) and 8.15 x 107- (50 degrees Celsius).
The rate constants for each of these reactions were as followed: 0.2484(10 degrees Celsius), 0.8315,
(25.5 degrees Celsius), 4.209(50 degrees Celsius). Both our graphical representation of the
experiments equilibriuma generally linear representation-- and our calculated data reveal that
the reaction was to be a limited first-order reaction.
There were a multitude of experimental and human errors within this lab that were not
accounted for by significant figures. The experimental procedures included: method of creating
the solutions and combining them together (the snap method), the different temperatures in
which the chemical experiment was conducted under, and the use of wooden toothpicks to stir.
The method of combing the solutions within each well was to manually add a certain number of
drops as indicated within the lab. This posed a possible error because as the manual dropper was

Slope = -Ea/R
Ea= -Slope * R
= -(-6435K)(8.314 J/mol*K) =
5.35 x 104 J/mol