How Does Surface Area Affect Reaction Speed? Essay Example
How does surface area affect reaction speed?
The aim of this experiment was to investigate how the surface area affects the rate of a reaction in between calcium carbonate and hydrochloric acid.
My hypothesis was that if the surface area to volume ratio of calcium carbonate was increased, then the rate of the reaction will increase because there are more particles that are accessible by the hydrochloric acid, thus more particles that can react with each other.
Variables
Independent- Surface area of calcium carbonate Dependent- Amount of carbon dioxide produced (cm3) Controls- Amount of calcium carbonate (g) Volume of hydrochloric acid (ml) Same beaker Same concentration of HCl Same temperature of both HCl and CaCO3
It is important to keep the amount of calcium carbonate the same, because if there is more calcium carbonate, more carbon dioxide is going to be produced. The volume of hydrochloric acid is only going to affect the rate of the reaction if not all of the calcium carbonate is covered, but it is useful to keep it as a control. Also, a larger beaker is going to need more hydrochloric acid to raise the level to completely cover the calcium carbonate. Lastly, the concentration and temperature are known to speed up a reaction.
Apparatuses
1 x Conical Flask with side arm 1 x Clamp and Boss 1 x Rubber stopper 1 x Scale 1 x 30 cm, thin tube 1 x Stand 1 x Stop watch 1 x Measuring Cylinder (1,000ml, 25 ml) 1 x Large, flat beaker 25 ml hydrochloric acid CaCO3 (chips, granules, powder) 1 x Stop watch 1 x Safety glasses/ lab coat per person
Method
1. Setup like the diagram. Wear a lab coat and safety glasses. 2. Measure out 8ml of HCl, using a measuring cylinder, and pour it into the cynical flask. 3. Put about half a gram of CaCO3 granules on the scale, record the mass. 4. Fill up the 1000ml measuring cylinder with water, to the top. 5. Fill the flat beaker with water. 6.
The aim of this experiment was to investigate how the surface area affects the rate of a reaction in between calcium carbonate and hydrochloric acid.
My hypothesis was that if the surface area to volume ratio of calcium carbonate was increased, then the rate of the reaction will increase because there are more particles that are accessible by the hydrochloric acid, thus more particles that can react with each other.
Variables
Independent- Surface area of calcium carbonate Dependent- Amount of carbon dioxide produced (cm3) Controls- Amount of calcium carbonate (g) Volume of hydrochloric acid (ml) Same beaker Same concentration of HCl Same temperature of both HCl and CaCO3
It is important to keep the amount of calcium carbonate the same, because if there is more calcium carbonate, more carbon dioxide is going to be produced. The volume of hydrochloric acid is only going to affect the rate of the reaction if not all of the calcium carbonate is covered, but it is useful to keep it as a control. Also, a larger beaker is going to need more hydrochloric acid to raise the level to completely cover the calcium carbonate. Lastly, the concentration and temperature are known to speed up a reaction.
Apparatuses
1 x Conical Flask with side arm 1 x Clamp and Boss 1 x Rubber stopper 1 x Scale 1 x 30 cm, thin tube 1 x Stand 1 x Stop watch 1 x Measuring Cylinder (1,000ml, 25 ml) 1 x Large, flat beaker 25 ml hydrochloric acid CaCO3 (chips, granules, powder) 1 x Stop watch 1 x Safety glasses/ lab coat per person
Method
1. Setup like the diagram. Wear a lab coat and safety glasses. 2. Measure out 8ml of HCl, using a measuring cylinder, and pour it into the cynical flask. 3. Put about half a gram of CaCO3 granules on the scale, record the mass. 4. Fill up the 1000ml measuring cylinder with water, to the top. 5. Fill the flat beaker with water. 6.