Physical Chemistry (PCH602S)

Practical three
How catalysts work

Bachelor of Science (07BOSC)

Name of Lecturer: Prof HM Kwaambwa
Name of Instructor: Ms Marta Amuanyena

Done by:
Blandine B.D Naris 214098540
SALOMON TAITSAIB 214097455

Due Date: 15 August 2017

Title
How Catalysts work.

Aim
To determine the effect a catalyst has on the rate of a reaction by investigating whether the
catalyst lowers the activation energy of a reaction.

Introduction
A catalyst is a chemical substance that affects the rate of a chemical reaction by altering the
activation energy required for the reaction to proceed. This process is called a catalysis. A
catalyst is not consumed by the reaction and it may participate in multiple reactions at a time.
The only difference between a catalysed reaction and an uncatalyzed reaction is that the
activation energy is different. There is no effect on the energy of the reactants or the products.
The H for the reactions is the same. Catalysts permit an alternate mechanism for the reactants
to become products, with a lower activation energy and different transition state. A catalyst
may allow a reaction to proceed at a lower temperature or increase the reaction rate or
selectivity. Catalysts often react with reactants to form intermediates that eventually yield the
same reaction products and regenerate the catalyst. Note that the catalyst may be consumed
during one of the intermediate steps, but it will be created again before the reaction is
completed.
The production of most industrially important chemicals involves catalysis. Similarly, most
biochemically significant processes are catalysed. Research into catalysis is a major field in
applied science and involves many areas of chemistry, notably organometallic chemistry and
materials science. Catalysis is relevant to many aspects of environmental science, e.g. the
catalytic converter in automobiles and the dynamics of the ozone hole. Catalytic reactions are
preferred in environmentally friendly green chemistry due to the reduced amount of waste
generated, as opposed to stoichiometric reactions in which all reactants are consumed and more
side products are formed. Many transition metals and transition metal complexes are used in
catalysis as well. Catalysts called enzymes are important in biology.
A catalyst works by providing an alternative reaction pathway to the reaction product. The rate
of the reaction is increased as this alternative route has a lower activation energy than the
reaction route not mediated by the catalyst. The second law of thermodynamics describes why
a catalyst does not change the chemical equilibrium of a reaction. Suppose there was such a
catalyst that shifted an equilibrium. Introducing the catalyst to the system would result in a
reaction to move to the new equilibrium, producing energy. Production of energy is a necessary
result since reactions are spontaneous only if Gibbs free energy is produced, and if there is no
energy barrier, there is no need for a catalyst. Then, removing the catalyst would also result in
reaction, producing energy; i.e. the addition and its reverse process, removal, would both
produce energy. Thus, a catalyst that could change the equilibrium would be a perpetual motion
machine, a contradiction to the laws of thermodynamics.
Materials
Hot water bath
Ice
10 mL of 0.20 M KI
10 mL of 0.010 M 2 2 3
5 mL of 0.2 % Starch solution
20 mL of 0.09 M 2 2 8
1 mL of 0.010 M FeS4
Pipettes (5ml, 10ml, and 20ml)
Thermometer
Stop watch
2x 50ml Beakers
Marker

Method
Without Catalyst
A sample of 10 mL of 0.20 M KI, 10 mL of 0.010 M 2 2 3, 5 mL of 0.2 % Starch
solution was obtained and transferred into a 50ml beaker marked A.
Another sample 20 mL of 0.09 M 2 2 8 was obtained and transferred into a 50ml
beaker marked B.
The two solutions were placed in a water bath with a little ice until both temperature
where at 15C.
Once both temperatures were the same, the solutions were mixed and timed until
colour change was observed.
The solutions were discarded and, beakers cleaned and process repeated for
temperatures 20-40C.

With Catalyst
The process above was carried out, but this time adding a 1 mL of 0.010 M FeS4 as
catalyst into beaker marked B, and for temperatures ranging 10-30C

Data
Without Catalyst
Temperature(C) Group 1 Group 3 Group 5 Group 7 Group 9
15 211.8 262.15 290.28 289.28 345.10
20 148.8 199.4 225.28 214.34 283.15
25 128.4 152.35 157.63 125 116.21
30 79.8 139.27 107.59 71.66 78.20
35 72.6 116.8 64.43 56.83 55.30
40 54 67.88 50.66 44.56 39.15

With Catalyst
 Temperature(C) Group 2 Group 4 Group 6 Group 8 Group 10
10 240 231 213.7 239.7 231.15
15 156 149 180.50 202.7 152.25
20 132 102 108.91 76.5 106.43
25 55 73 59.54 54.0 60.47
30 36 45 51.88 51.3 43.1

Results
Without catalyst
Temp. (C) Temp. (K) 1/T Time (s) Ln(1/t)
15 288 0.003472 290.28 -5.67
20 293 0.003412 225.25 -5.41
25 298 0.003355 157.63 -5.06
30 303 0.003300 107.59 -4.67
35 305 0.003278 64.43 -4.16
40 313 0.003194 50.66 -3.92

With catalyst
Temp. (C) Temp. (K) 1/T Time (s) Ln(1/t)
10 283 0.003533 231 -5.44
15 288 0.003472 149 -5.00
20 293 0.003412 102 -4.62
25 298 0.003355 73 -4.29
30 303 0.003300 45 -3.80
Discussion
Without Catalyst:

Slope =
.+.
=..
.
=.

= -7 058.8235 J

= 58 687.05858 J

With Catalyst:

Slope =
.+.
=..
.
=.

= - 4 416.666667 J

= 36 720.16667 J

=
The aim of this experiment was to investigate the effect of catalyst on the rate of the reaction.
The experiment produced expected results that the catalyst speeds up the rate of the reaction
by lowering the activation energy because 36 720 J in the catalysed reaction is way lower than
the activation energy of 58 687 J from the uncatalysed reaction. The experiment was
straightforward. Possible errors could be from recording the exact time colour change was
observed. One source of error could be that the solutions could have been contaminated during
the transfer and addition of solutions, since both solutions were colourless thus making it
difficult for the experimenter to take note. . The results recorded by the different groups were
precise, but to obtain a value closer to the accurate value an average of the different groups had
to be used for the calculations.

Conclusion
According to the findings in this experiment, it can be concluded that the catalyst (FeSO 4)
lowered the free energy barrier separating the reactants and products and by extension,
increased the rate of the reaction. The activation energy for the reaction without a catalyst was
found to be 58 687 J and the reaction involving the catalyst was found to be 36 720 J, thus the
catalyst lowered the activation energy by 21967 J.

References
7 things you may not know about catalysis Louise Lerner, Argonne National Laboratory
(2011)
Rayner-Canham, Marelene; Rayner-Canham, Geoffrey William (January 2001). Women in
Chemistry: Their Changing Roles from Alchemical Times to the Mid-Twentieth Century.
American Chemical Society.
Laidler, K.J. (1978) Physical Chemistry with Biological Applications, Benjamin/Cummings.
pp. 415417.
"Types of catalysis". Chemguide. Retrieved 2017 08 11
"Recognizing the Best in Innovation: Breakthrough Catalyst". R&D Magazine, September
2005, p. 20.