Rates Of Reaction Between Magnesium And Hydrochloric Acid When Using Different Concentrations Essay, Research Paper

Rates of reaction between magnesium and hydrochloric acid when using different concentrations

One way of making the reaction between magnesium and hydrochloric acid more effective or less effective would be to use higher or lower concentrations of either the magnesium or hydrochloric acid. Temperature and surface area can also make a reaction faster or slower. A catalyst can make a reaction faster without actually taking part in the reaction.

A high concentration makes a reaction faster. A reaction is faster with high concentrations as there is more of each particle. The more particles there are the higher the chance of a collision. The more collisions the faster the reaction. A reaction is slower with low concentrations as there is less of each particle. The smaller the number of particles the lower the chance of a collision.

A low concentration makes a reaction slower. If you have a low concentration of hydrochloric acid with a big mass of magnesium then the magnesium may not have all been broken down. This is because the hydrochloric acid would have been used up. If there is a small mass of magnesium with a high concentration of hydrochloric acid then when all the magnesium has been broken down there will still be hydrochloric acid leftover.

Aim

We aim to find out if concentration effects the rate of reaction between magnesium and hydrochloric acid.

Prediction

I predict that the higher the concentration of hydrochloric acid the faster the reaction will be. I think this and have explained this more above. A higher concentration increases the chance of a collision. More collisions mean a faster reaction. I predict that if you double the concentration of hydrochloric acid then the time taken for the magnesium to entirely breakdown will be halved. I think this because twice the amount of particles will double the number of collisions.

Method

We will use the same mass of magnesium every time. We will put hydrochloric acid and magnesium into a test tube. We will change the volume or concentration of the hydrochloric acid. We will time how long it takes for the magnesium to become fully broken down. We will record our results. We will try to make other things the same such as temperature.

How temperature effects the rate of a reaction

A high temperature makes a rate of a reaction faster as the higher the heat is the more energy particles have to move. The energy from the heat transfers to the particles. This makes the particles move faster. This gives a better chance of a collision. This will also give a better chance of a successful collision as the particles have more energy.

How surface area effects the rate of a reaction

Increasing the surface area of a solid in a reaction can make the reaction faster. A greater surface area means that there will be a higher chance of a collision as there is a higher chance that the reactants will collide.

How a catalyst effects the rate of a reaction

A catalyst makes a reaction faster without being used up. What a catalyst does is hold a reactant still so it can t move. As a reactant is still, there is a higher chance of another reactant colliding with it.