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CHAPTER 1: RATE OF REACTION

1.1 Rate of Reaction
1. Rate of reaction measures the speed at which reactants are converted into products in a chemical
reaction.
2. Some chemical reactions are slow and some reactions are fast.
Slow reaction Fast reaction
Iron rusting Grenade explosion
Photosynthesis Reaction between sodium carbonate and
dilute hydrochloric acid
Reaction between sodium thiosulphate and Reaction between lead (II) nitrate and
sulphuric acid (yellow precipitate) potassium iodide (yellow precipitate)

3. Rate of reaction is measured by the change in quantities of the reactants or products per unit
time.
change in quantity
Rate of Reaction
time taken
4. The rate of reaction for a particular chemical reaction can be quantified as follow:
a) volume of gas liberated
b) time taken for precipitation formed
c) temperature / pressure change
d) mass / concentration change
5. Table below shows the units for the rate of reaction measured in different ways.
Change in selected quantity Unit for the rate of reaction
per unit time
Change in mass g s -1 or g min-1
Change in volume cm s-1 or cm min-1
Change in number of moles mol s-1 or mol min-1

6. Graph below shows the example for rate of reaction foe certain reactants or products.

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7. The rate of reaction can be measured in two ways:

a) average rate of reaction b) rate of reaction at certain time
Example (1)
In an experiment between zinc and hydrochloric acid, the hydrogen gas evolved is collected in a
inverted burette.
Zn (s) + 2HCl (aq) ZnCl2 (aq) + H2 (g)
The volume is recorded at intervals of 1 minute until the volume of hydrogen gas collected is
constant. The results are tabulated as below.

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Exercise (1): Rate of Reaction

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1.2 Factors Affecting the Rate of Reaction

1. The rate of reaction is affected by 5 following factors:
a) Surface area or size of reactants (powdered or granulated)
b) Temperature d) Pressure
c) Catalyst e) Concentration of reactants
1.2.1 Surface Area of Reactants
Set 1: 2 g of magnesium ribbon and 20 cm3 of 0.2 mol dm-3 hydrochloric acid at room condition.
Set 2: 2 g of magnesium powder and 20 cm3 of 0.2 mol dm-3 hydrochloric acid at room condition.
Graph plotted Explanation

1.2.2 Temperature
Set 1: 2 g of magnesium powder and 20 cm3 of 0.2 mol dm-3 hydrochloric acid at 40C
Set 2: 2 g of magnesium powder and 20 cm3 of 0.2 mol dm-3 hydrochloric acid at 60C
Graph plotted Explanation

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1.2.3 Catalyst
1. Catalyst is the substance which can speed up or speed down the rate of reaction but remain
chemically unchanged itself.
2. Table below shows some examples of positive catalyst for certain chemical reaction.
Type of reaction Positive catalyst used
Zn(s) + H2SO4 (aq) ZnSO4 (aq) + H2 (g) Copper (II) sulphate solution, CuSO4
2H2O2 (aq) 2H2O (l) + O2 (g)
Manganese (IV) oxide, MnO2
2NaOCl (aq) 2NaCl (aq) + O2 (g)
2SO2 (g) + O2 (g) 2SO3 (g) Vanadium (V) oxide, V2O5
N2 (g) + 3H2 (g) 2NH3 (g) Iron fillings

3. Characteristic of catalyst:
a) Catalyst remain chemically unchanged but may undergo physically changed.
b) Small quantity is needed.
c) Catalyst does not change the quantity of product but only change the rate of reaction.
d) Catalyst is specific for particular reaction.
e) Most catalyst are made from transition elements or compounds.

Set 1: 2 g of magnesium powder and 20 cm3 of 0.2 mol dm-3 hydrochloric acid at 40C
Set 2: 2 g of magnesium powder and 20 cm3 of 0.2 mol dm-3 hydrochloric acid at 60C

Graph plotted Explanation

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1.2.4 Pressure
1. Only the reactants in gaseous state can
be affected by changing pressure.
2. In general, the higher the pressure, the
higher the rate of reaction.

1,2,5 Concentration of reactants

Example of experiment: Reaction between sodium thiosulphate solution and sulphuric acid solution
Chemical equation: Na2S2O3 (aq) + H2SO4 (aq) Na2SO4 (aq) + S(s) + SO2 (g) + H2O (l)

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Some Precautions and Technical Issues

1. In this experiment, the types of conical flask used must be constant / same size as different size of
conical flask require more sulphur to let the mark X disappear. Hence, the time taken for
experiment is longer.
2. Sulphuric acid used in this experiment can be replaced by hydrochloric acid. But the time taken
for experiment will become longer. Why?
3. Avoid the nose and mouth from the conical flask during the experiment as the sulphur dioxide gas
produced may cause irritation.

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Table below shows different shapes of curves when the changes of volume or concentration for
reactant.

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Exercise (2): Factors Affecting the Rate of Reaction

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1.3 Collision Theory

1. Collision theory relates to the movement and collision of particles, activation energy, orientation
of collision and its effectiveness.
2. For a reaction to occur, the particles of reactants must touch each other through collision for bond
breaking and bond formation to form products.
3. According to collision theory, only those collisions which can result in a reaction
a) Achieve a minimum amount of energy (activation energy, Ea)
b) With the correct orientation

1.3.1 Explanation the Effect of Surface Area of Reactants on ROR using Collision Theory
Set I: 2.0 g of granulated zinc is added to 20cm3 of 0.5 mol dm-3 hydrochloric acid.
Set II: 2.0 g of powdered zinc is added to 20cm3 of 0.5 mol dm-3 hydrochloric acid.
Chemical equation: Zn(s) + 2HCl (aq) ZnCl2 (aq)+ H2 (g)
Ionic equation:
- Particle size of powdered zinc in set II is smaller than granulated zinc in set 1.
- Hence the total surface area of zinc powdered zinc in set II is larger than granulated zinc in set I
in same mass.
- The frequency of collision between hydrogen ions and zinc atoms in set II is higher than set I.
- This will cause the frequency of effective collision between hydrogen ion and zinc atoms in set II
is higher than that in set I.
- Hence the ROR in set II is higher than in set I.

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1.3.2 Explanation the Effect of Concentration of Reactants on ROR using Collision Theory
Set I: 50cm3 of 0.2 mol dm-3 sodium thiosulphate and 5 cm3 of 1.0 mol dm-3 sulphuric acid.
Set II: 50cm3 of 0.1 mol dm-3 sodium thiosulphate and 5 cm3 of 1.0 mol dm-3 sulphuric acid.
Chemical equation: Na2S2O3 (aq) + H2SO4 (aq) Na2SO4 (aq) + S(s) + SO2 (g) + H2O (l)
Ionic equation:
- The concentration of sodium thiosulphate solution in set I is higher than set II
- The number of thiosulphate ions per unit volume in set I is higher than set II.
- The frequency of collision between hydrogen ions and thiosulphate ions in set I is higher than set
II.
- This will cause the frequency of effective collision between hydrogen ion and thiosulphate ions in
set I is higher than that in set II.
- Hence the ROR in set I is higher than in set II.

1.3.3 Explanation the Effect of Temperature of Reactants on ROR using Collision Theory
Set I: 2.0 g of zinc powder and 20cm3 of 0.5 mol dm-3 sulphuric acid at room temperature.
Set II: 2.0 g of zinc powder and 20cm3 of 0.5 mol dm-3 hot sulphuric acid.
Chemical equation: Zn(s) + H2SO4 (aq) ZnSO4 (aq)+ H2 (g)
Ionic equation:
- The temperature of reaction in set II is higher than set I.
- The kinetic energy of hydrogen ions that collide with magnesium ribbon in set II is higher than
set I.
- Hydrogen ions in set II move faster and collide more frequently with magnesium atoms than that in
set I and cause the frequency of collision between hydrogen ions and magnesium atoms in set II is
higher than set I.
- Besides it, more hydrogen ions in set II possess more energy that can overcome the activation
energy compared to set I.
- These two situations will cause the frequency of effective collision between hydrogen ion and
magnesium atoms in set II is higher than that in set I.
- Hence the ROR in set I is higher than in set II.

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1.3.4 Explanation the Effect of Pressure of Gaseous Reactants on ROR using Collision Theory
Chemical equation: N2 (g) + 3H2 (g) 2NH3 (g)
- When the nitrogen and hydrogen molecules compressed to occupy the smaller volume, the pressure
of reactants increases.
- The number of hydrogen and nitrogen molecules per unit volume increases.
- The frequency of collision between hydrogen and nitrogen molecules is increase.
- This will cause the frequency of effective collision between hydrogen and nitrogen molecules is
increase.
- Hence the ROR is increases.

1.3. Explanation the Effect of Catalyst on ROR using Collision Theory

Set I: 2.0 g of zinc powder and 50cm3 of 0.1 mol dm-3 hydrochloric acid at room conditions.
Set II: 2.0 g of zinc powder and 50cm3 of 0.1 mol dm-3 hydrochloric acid + 2cm3 of 1 mol dm-3
copper (II) sulphate solution at room condition.

- The presence of copper (II) sulphate solution as catalyst in set II, whereas no catalyst presence in
set I.
- The presence of copper (II) sulphate solution in set II enable the reaction between hydrogen ions
and zinc atoms occur at lower activation energy compared to set I.
- As the result, the frequency of collision between hydrogen ions and zinc atoms in set II is higher
than set I as more collision able to overcome the lower activation energy.
- This will cause the frequency of effective collision between hydrogen ion and zinc atoms in set II
is higher than that in set I.
- Hence the ROR in set II is higher than in set I.

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