Content Page Number

1.0 Summary

2.0 Introduction & Theories

3.0 Objective

4.0 Materials

5.0 Equipment / Apparatus

6.0 Procedure

7.0 Data

8.0 Discussion

9.0 Conclusion

10.0 Recommendation

11.0 Tutorial

12.0 References
1.0 Summary

The objective of the experiment was to determine the effect of temperature in

activation energy and the initial rate of iodine clock. This experiment is divided into
two parts which is part A and part B. In part A, 5 test tubes were obtained and then
the test tubes were labelled as A-30°C, A-40°C, A-50°C, A-60°C and A-70°C. Then,
all of the test tubes were pipette with 5ml of 0.05 M of sodium thiosulphate (Na 2S2O3)
and 10ml of 0.2 M potassium iodide (KI) into each of the test tube. While in part B, 5
test tubes were obtained and each test tube were labelled as B-30°C, B-40°C, B-50°C,
B-60°C and B-70°C. Then, all the test tubes were pipette with 10ml of 0.1M
potassium peroxydisulphate (K2S2O8) and 5 drops of iodine indicator into each test
tube. Then, the test tubes were heated into the water bath with different temperature
according to the labeling until it reach the equal temperature in water baths. By using
a stopwatch, the time taken for the solution in each test tube in part A was transferred
into the test tube in part B were recorded until a quick change were observed. The
solution turns out from colourless to dark yellow when the solution in part A reacts
with the solution in part B. The changes of the solutions were observed at different
temperature and time. Based on the results, as higher the temperature, the lower time
taken for the solution to turn to dark yellow. The longest time taken observed was
249s when the temperature was at 30oC. While, the temperature for 70oC took the
shortest time to having a quick change which was 25s. Hence, the activation energy
obtained based on the graph was Ea=49001.4689 J/mol-K. There were some possible
errors found in this experiment such as the equipment used was not completely clean
and dry before using it and this error can be overcome by taking precaution steps to
obtain more accurate results.
2.0 Introduction & Theories

This experiment is designed to study the initial rate and activation energy for iodine
clock. The reaction involves the oxidation of iodide ions by peroxydisulphate ions in the
presence of thiosulphate ions, S2O32- as a delaying agent. A clock reaction is any chemical
reaction where no visible change occurs for a period of time, until a sudden change happens
unexpectedly. This experiment makes use of the iodine clock reaction, where a mixture of
two colourless solution remains colourless for short time and then suddenly turns dark
yellow. The time taken for the colour to change will be measured and the rate of reaction can
be determined by taking the reciprocals of the measured times.

Several factors influence the rate of reaction of a substance. According to the collision
theory these factors include concentration of reactants which are peroxydisulphate and iodide
ions. If the concentration of iodide is higher than peroxydisulphate, the concentration of
iodide will hardly change during the experiment. The reaction rate appears as only depends
on concentration of peroxydisulphate ions. The way in which the rate law will be determined
is using the “Method of Initial Rates”. In this method, a series of experiments is carried out in
which the initial concentration of one of the reactants. The rate law is written as:

- d[S2O82-] = k’ [S2O82-] ……………… (1)

dt

Hence, the rate constant k can then be calculated. Consider the iodide ion concentration is in
excess. Suppose that the initial concentration of S2O82- is ao and t is a.

ln ¿) = k’ t ………………………… (2)

It is expected that the reaction occurs more quickly in the presence of greater concentration of
reactants. However, the reaction would take place too quickly if a delaying mechanism is not
introduced into the system. Such as, sodium thiosulphate solution is added to introduce
thiosulphate ions in the system.
 Another thing is to determine the activation energy for reaction. Reactants need to
have this amount of energy both to overcome the repulsive electron cloud forces between
approaching molecules and to break the existing bonds in the reacting molecules. This energy
can range from almost zero to many hundreds of kJ/mol. At the top of energetic barrier, there
is a transition state complex that forms instantaneously before the products are formed. This
energy barrier is called the activation energy, Ea. In general, the higher the activation energy,
the slower the reaction.

Figure 1: Example of activation energy on rate of reaction reactant

The activation energy is related to the rate constant by the Arrhenius equation. The rate
constant (k) for any reaction varies with absolute temperature (T) according to Arrhenius
equation:

k = A exp (-E/ RT)………………………………… (3)

ln k = ln A –E/RT…………………………………..(4)

Where E is activation energy of reaction, R is molar gas constant which is 8.314 J/mol.K and
A is known as the A-factor which relate to the frequency of collision between the reacting
molecule.
12.0 References
1. Activation Energy of the Iodine Clock Reaction (2017) sciencing.com. [Online]
[Accessed 9th April, 2019]. Available from World Wide Web:
https://sciencing.com/activation-energy-iodine-clock-reaction-7246333.html
2. Chemical Kinetics: The Iodine Clock Reaction (2015) academia.edu. [Online]
[Accessed 9th April, 2019]. Available from World Wide Web:
https://www.academia.edu/11278332/CHEM_26.1_FORMAL_REPORT_EXPER
IMENT_3_IODINE_CLOCK_REACTION
3. Activation Energy (2019) wikipedia. [Online] [Accessed 9 th April, 2019].
Available from World Wide Web:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Activation_energy
4. Determination Of Initial Rate And Activation Energy For Iodine Clock (2017)
academia.edu. [Online] [Accessed 9th April, 2019]. Available from World Wide
Web:https://www.academia.edu/22814785/DETERMINATION_OF_INITIAL_R
ATE_AND_ACTIVATION_ENERGY_FOR_IODINE_CLOCK