E s s e n t i a l C h e m i s t r y f o r C a m b r i d g e I G C S E ® 2 nd E d i t i o n

Unit 8 Rate of reaction

SUMMARY QUESTIONS:
1 A purple solution changes to a colourless solution – measure the light transmitted
through a solution.
Hydrogen is released during a reaction – measure the volume of gas produced.
Two solutions react slowly to form a precipitate – see how long it takes for letter ‘A’ under a
flask to disappear.
There are more ions in solution in the reactants than in the products – measure change in
electrical conductivity.
2 (a) Rate of reaction – amount of reactants converted to product in a given time
(b) Catalyst – substance that speeds up a reaction / increases rate of reaction
(c) Gradient – slope of the graph
3 See Figure 8.3.2
4 (a) Increases
(b) Rate; decreases
5 (a) Decreases rate
(b) Decreases rate
6 Increases rate because increase in pressure pushes all the particles closer to each other;
so concentration of reacting particles increases; so there are more collisions per second.
7 (a) The reactant that is not in excess – the reactant which gets used up first
(b) A reaction which is started / catalysed by light
(c) In green plants the reaction of carbon dioxide with water in the presence of sunlight and
chlorophyll to form glucose / starch and oxygen
8 Particles in food move more / vibrate more at higher temperature; so particles have more
energy at higher temperature; more of the particles have the minimum energy to react when
they collide / collisions are more successful at higher temperatures.

PRACTICE QUESTIONS:
1 D The mass remains unchanged at the end of the reaction
2 (a) Plotting of points including 0−0 and drawing line of best fit.
(b) Gradient line steeper than the original; levels off at the same place as previous graph.
(c) Very slow reaction / takes much longer to produce the same amount of gas; catalyst speeds
up reaction / increases rate of reaction.
3 (a) Substance which speed up a reaction / increases rate of reaction
(b) Copper(II) sulfate
(c) Any three of:
Temperature; concentration of HCl; size of zinc granules; amount of catalyst used
(d) Sodium chloride and sodium sulfate (both needed)

© OUP 2015: this may be reproduced for class use solely for the purchaser’s institute
 E s s e n t i a l C h e m i s t r y f o r C a m b r i d g e I G C S E ® 2 nd E d i t i o n

4 (a) Line 1
(b) A
(c) As in Figure 8.4.1
Use of gas syringe or upturned measuring cylinder over water; closed system with gas
syringe / measuring cylinder connected to flask or test tube; Two or more correct labels.
NOT: decrease in mass method (since refers to graph shown in the question).
(d) Increasing the temperature; using smaller pieces of calcium carbonate / powdered calcium
carbonate.
5 (a) Measure volume of hydrogen gas produced at timed intervals; using a gas syringe /
measuring cylinder; measure decrease in mass of magnesium by removing magnesium and
weighing the magnesium from time to time. ALLOW: weighing the decrease in mass of the
reaction mixture.
(b) Measure volume / mass; at particular times; indication of rate = increase in volume /
decrease in mass with time.
(c) (i) Rate increases; particles are closer together / more particles in given volume; particles
have more chance of colliding / frequency of collisions increases.
(ii) Rate decreases; particles have less energy; fewer successful collisions.
ALLOW: particles collide with less force.
(iii) Rate increases; more magnesium particles exposed / larger surface area for reaction;
particles have more chance of colliding / frequency of collisions increases.
6 (a) See Figure 8.3.2
Graph line with negative gradient and axes correct; downward curve which levels off.
(b) Rate starts off fast then slows down (with time) / rate greater at start; because the slope of
the graph decreases with time.
(c) Concentration of acid decreases / ALLOW: amount of carbonate in contact with acid
decreases; HCl particles are further apart / fewer HCl particles in given volume; particles
have less chance of colliding / frequency of collisions decreases.
(d) (i) Moles of calcium carbonate = 0.4 mol; moles of HCl = 0.06 mol
(ii) HCl limiting; because fewer number of moles / ALLOW: working from figures,
e.g. 0.4 > 0.06 / 0.4 mol calcium carbonate would require 0.8 mol HCl.
(e) (i) Time on vertical axis and temperature on horizontal; points plotted correctly; curve
through the points / near to points correct.
(ii) 4 s
7 (a) Photochemical reaction; light catalyses decomposition of silver bromide to silver, which
appears black; light doesn’t reach below the H so no reaction here.
(b) Increase the light intensity
(c) Ag+ + e− → Ag

© OUP 2015: this may be reproduced for class use solely for the purchaser’s institute