Experiment 6.

4: Catalysts and Rates of Reactions

Aim: Describe suitable experiments for measuring rates and analyse data from rate experiments. Describe and explain collision theory. Describe the effect of a catalyst on a chemical reaction. Sketch and explain Maxwell Boltzmann curves for reactions with and without catalysts. Results: 1. Hydrogen peroxide and manganese (IV) oxide: The gas produced was tested with a glowing split which relighted, therefore it was oxygen gas. Water was also produced, and was tested using anhydrous copper sulphate turning from white to blue, and cobalt chloride paper which turned from blue to pink. Since catalysts remain unchanged at the end of the reaction, MnO2 should have the same mass before and after the experiment. 2. Potassium sodium tartrate (Rochelle salt): Yellow --> + K-tartrate --> orange --> treacle --> + zinc --> royal green --> aquamarine --> turquoise --> aqua blue --> sapphire --> + zinc --> forest green --> swamp green Yellow --> + zinc --> green --> blue --> + K-tartrate --> dark green --> blue --> + K-tartrate --> black --> cloudy blue --> cloudy lilac There is effervescence. Colour changes could be due to change in oxidation states. Analysis/conclusion: 1. Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) decomposes to give oxygen gas and water. Deduce the balanced chemical equation for this reaction. 2H2O2 --> 2H2O + O2 2. Tartrate ions have the formula -OOCCH2CH2COO- and are oxidised by H2O2 to CO2 whilst H2O2 is reduced to H2O and O2. How do the Co2+ ions affect this reaction and in what way are they behaving as a catalyst? Co2+ provides an alternative pathway for the reaction to occur by lowering the activation energy required. When the Co2+ ions are present, H2O2 oxidises Co2+ to Co3+, which then oxidise tartrate ions. The cobalt ions remain unchanged at the end of the reaction, which is a requirement for it to be considered a catalyst. 3. Peroxodisulfate ions are reduced to SO42- (it is the O that is reduced, not the S) by I- which are oxidised to I2. S2O82- + 2I- --> 2SO42- + I2 Why do you think that this might have a high Activation Energy and be a slow reaction? How do Fe2+ ions and/or Fe3+ ions help catalyse this reaction? S2O82- reduces Fe ions. Fe3+ ions reduce iodine ions to produce I2. 4. Explain qualitatively using the Maxwell Boltzmann curve why using a catalyst can increase the rate of a reaction. Catalyst lowers the activation energy, and from the Maxwell Boltzmann curve we can see that a larger proportion of particles now have sufcient energy for successful collisions with the lowered activation energy.

No. of particles ECAT Ea 5. Sketch an enthalpy level diagram to illustrate how a catalyst works. Energy Ea ECAT Kinetic energy

Reaction prole