TE

Name: _________________________ ( ) Class: _________ Group: _________ Date: ___________________

Experiment
 Book
Reference in textbook:
4A, Part IX
Experiment 36.4

36.4
Ch.36, p.25

Studying the progress of the reaction

between permanganate ions and oxalate
ions by measuring the change in colour
intensity of the reaction mixture

Objective

To follow the progress of the reaction between permanganate ions

and oxalate ions, by measuring the change in colour intensity of the
reaction mixture using a colorimeter.

Apparatus and Chemicals

Each group will need:

♦ Safety spectacles ♦ Potassium permanganate solution
3
♦ Colorimeter (0.001 M, 1 cm )
♦ Cuvette
♦ Tissue paper Chemical disposal:
♦ Graduated dropper ♦ Dispose of the wastes into labelled
♦ Stopwatch waste bottles for different kinds of
♦ Distilled water chemicals.
♦ Sodium oxalate solution (0.05 M, Time required:
3
1 cm ) 1 period
3
♦ Sulphuric acid (1.0 M, 1 cm )

Procedure

Safety precautions
Handle acids with care. In case any acid gets into your eyes or onto your skin,
report to your teacher immediately, and wash the affected area with plenty of
water.

IRRITANT OXIDIZING
⏉䅏ㆶ ␸䍒

Sulphuric acid (1.0 M) Potassium permanganate

solution (0.001 M)

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Name: ____________________ ( ) Class: _________ Group: _________ Date: ___________________
Experiment

1. Switch on the colorimeter at least 5 minutes before calibrating it.

36.4

2. (a) Calibrate the colorimeter as described in the manual.

(b) Select the wavelength at 550 nm.

3 3
3. (a) Add 1 cm of 0.05 M sodium oxalate solution, 1 cm of 1.0 M
3
sulphuric acid and 1 cm of 0.001 M potassium permanganate
solution to a clean cuvette.
(b) Quickly cap the cuvette and invert it upside down for a few times
to mix the reaction mixture.
(c) Put the cuvette into the colorimeter. Close the colorimeter lid.
(d) Press the ‘Start/Stop’ button to start the colorimeter and start
the stopwatch at the same time.

SBA note
• A cuvette has two clear sides and two ridged sides. Handle cuvettes only by the
top edge of the ridged sides.
• All cuvettes should be wiped clean and dry on the outside with tissue paper every
time before they are put into a colorimeter.

4. (a) Take the reading on the display (i.e. absorbance) every 15 seconds
and record all the readings in Table 36.3.
(b) After five minutes, press the ‘Start/Stop’ button to stop the
colorimeter. Empty the cuvette and rinse it with distilled water.

Time (s) 15 30 45 60 75 90 105 120 135 150

Absorbance

Time (s) 165 180 195 210 225 240 255 270 285 300

Absorbance

Table 36.3

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 All answers
Name: _________________________ ( ) Class: _________ Group: _________ Date: ___________________

Experiment
5. In Graph 36.3 below, label the axes and plot the change of absorbance
of the reaction mixture with time.

36.4
Graph 36.3

Summary
6. When a reaction involving a coloured reactant and colourless
products proceeds, the reaction mixture will become paler and paler
as the of the coloured reactant decreases.

7. The change in colour intensity, (colour) in this case,

can be followed by an instrument called .

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 All answers
Name: ____________________ ( ) Class: _________ Group: _________ Date: ___________________
Experiment

Questions
36.4

8. Write an ionic equation for the reaction between permanganate ion

and oxalate ion in an acidic solution.

9. (a) In this experiment, which ion is responsible for the change in

colour intensity of the reaction mixture?

(b) What is the change in colour intensity of the reaction mixture

from the start till the end of the reaction?

(c) Explain the change in colour intensity mentioned in (b).

36 16 HKDSE CHEMISTRY — A Modern View (Second Edition)

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