Effect of concentration on rate of redox reaction

George Saad

Date: 5/30/2015
Draft: Final draft
Class: 10MYP (5)
Subject: Chemistry
Unit Title: Electrical Chemistry
Task: Lab report Task
Teacher’s Name: Christine Ziadat.
Aim:
To investigate the effect of changing the concentration of 20mL (0.5mol/L, 1mol/L, 2mol/L) Hydrochloric
Acid on the rate of redox reaction between HCl (aq) and 1.00g Magnesium metal. By measuring the
change of the volume of Hydrogen gas produced in mL using water displacement method and keeping
all other variables constant.

Hypothesis:
If the concentration of hydrochloric acid increases, then the rate of redox reaction will increase.
Scientific Background:

In a neutral atom, the positively charged protons equal the number of negatively charged electrons, in which its net
charge is equal to Zero (ChemWiki).Net charge in a substance is termed as oxidation state (Clark).Therefore, when a
neutral atom loses electrons, the numbers of protons are greater than the number of electrons, hence; its oxidation
state will increase (Blauch). When a neutral atom gains electrons, the numbers of electrons are greater than the number
of protons; hence, its oxidation state will decrease (Mack).When an oxidation state of a substance is increased, it has
been oxidized, and when an oxidation state has been decreased, it has been reduced (Oxford). In reactions where
electrons are transferred through one substance to another, then there has been a substance reduced and a substance
oxidized (IBchem).When a reaction has reduction and oxidation, the reaction is called a Redox reaction (Nuffield). In any
chemical reaction, reactants react to form products, as a result, the amount of reactants decreases over time, and the
amount of products increase over time, Hence, the amount of products released per unit time is called the rate of a
reaction (Helmenstine).
There are many factors affecting the rate of reaction, one of which is the concentration of the acid in a metal and acid
reaction (Brightstorm). Concentration is determined by the amount of substance per liter, or mol/L. According to
collision theory, as the amount of substance increase, the greater the amount of effective collisions per unit time
(France). Therefore, the more effective collisions yielding products per unit time, hence the greater the rate of a reaction
(Sparknotes).
In the experiment, Magnesium will react with Hydrochloric Acid to form Magnesium Chloride and Hydrogen gas as
shown in the word and symbol equation in Figure 1. Therefore, the oxidation states for each element in the reaction are
shown in Figure 2.
Hence, Mg was oxidized since its oxidation number increases from Zero to +2. Magnesium is the reducing agent. HCl (aq)
was reduced since the oxidation number of the Hydrogen ion decreases from +1Zero. HCl is the oxidizing agent.
Since a reduction and oxidation reaction was present, and then this reaction is a Redox reaction.

Figure 1: Water Displacement Method

(Foundation)

Figure 2: Equations (IB)

Figure 3: Redox Reaction

(Chemguide)
Independent Variable: Concentration of 20mL Hydrochloric acid (0.5mol/L, 1mol/L, 2mol/L)

Dependent Variable: Volume of Hydrogen gas produced during reaction (mL)

Controlled Variables:

 Type of acid: The type of acid is HCl (aq). Different acids have different strengths; hydrochloric acid
is a strong acid, if a weak as was used, then the volume of gas released per unit time would be
lower and the rate of redox reaction would be less.
 Type of metal: The type of metal is Magnesium, different metals have different reactivity.
Magnesium reactivity is high, if a metal with a lower reactivity was used, then the less Hydrogen
gas will be produced and less rate of redox reaction.
 Surface area of metal: The surface area of a metal is ribbon. The ribbon’s surface area is low. If a
higher surface area was used, then the higher the rate of redox reaction
 Temperature of solution: The temperature of the solution is 25°C, if the solution had a lower
temperature, then the rate of redox reaction would be less.
 Amount of metal: The amount of metal is 1.00g. if a smaller amount of metal was used, then the
volume of Hydrogen gas will be less and the rate of redox reaction will decrease
 Volume of acid: The volume of acid is 20mL. If the volume of acid was less, then the rate of
redox reaction would be less.

Materials:

 3x 20mL Hydrochloric Acid (0.5mol/L, 1mol/L, 2mol/L)

 3x 1.00g Magnesium Metal
 1x 250mL Conical flask
 1x Stopper
 1x Rubber Tube
 1x Water trough
 1x 500mL Graduated Cylinder ±5mL
 1x Clamp
 1x Stopwatch ±0.1 seconds
 1x Digital Balance ±0.01g
 1x Weighing bottle
 1x 25mL Syringe
 1x Marker
 3x 100mL beaker
Method:

1. Prepare the equipment such as the setup that is required for the water displacement method
2. Measure 20mL Hydrochloric acid (0.5mol/L) using syringe
3. Measure 1.00g of Magnesium metal using digital balance and weighing bottle
4. Add 1.00g of Magnesium metal into conical flask then close with the Stopper
5. Enter the syringe inside the Stopper and start the stopwatch
6. Mark the water level on graduated cylinder using a marker every 3 seconds for 3 minutes
7. Record your observation in the observational table
8. Repeat steps 2-8 for acid concentration (1mol/L, 2mol/L)

Observational Table: The volume of Hydrogen gas produced during reaction of 20mL HCl (aq) (0.5mol/L,
1mol/L, 2mol/L) with 1.00g Magnesium metal measured each 3 seconds for 48 seconds.

Volume of Hydrogen gas (mL) ±5.0mL produced when reacted with

Time(s) 1.00g Mg for different concentrations of Hydrochloric acid
±0.1s
0.5 mol/L 1 mol/L 2 mol/L
3.0 10.0 20.0 22.0
6.0 17.0 42.0 55.0
9.0 25.0 55.0 85.0
12.0 32.0 67.0 110.0
15.0 37.0 92.0 142.0
18.0 42.0 105.0 165.0
21.0 45.0 125.0 195.0
24.0 50.0 155.0 232.0
27.0 52.0 170.0 275.0
30.0 57.0 192.0 320.0
33.0 62.0 202.0 325.0
36.0 70.0 205.0 330.0
39.0 75.0 215.0 332.0
42.0 82.0 225.0 380.0
45.0 87.0 235.0 385.0
48.0 92.0 240.0 477.0
Graph:

Volume of Hydrogen gas produced for 20mL of

0.5 mol/L, 1mol/L, 2mol/L HCl when reacted with 1.00g of
Magnesium metal
600

500

400

Volume of Hydrogen 300

Gas (mL)

200

100

0
0 10 20 30 40 50 60
Time (s) ±0.1s

0.5 mol/L HCl 1 mol/L HCl 2 mol/L HCl

Data Processing:
Graph:

Rate of redox reaction for each concentration

of HCl
10
9
8
7
6
Rate of Redox 5
Reaction (mL/s) 4
3
2
1
0
0.5 mol/L 1 mol/L 2mol/L
HCl concentrations (mol/L)

Conclusion:

To conclude, the prediction was supported and justified. For the reason that as the concentration of
20mL HCl (aq) increased from 0.5mol/L, 0.9mol/L, 1mol/L, the rate of redox reaction increased by 1.73
mL/s, 5.15 mL/s and 9.26 mL/s respectively.
These results have been obtained since the more the concentration of 20mL HCl (aq) the more the
amount of HCl molecules per liter of the solution. Hence, the more the quantity of HCL molecules
present in the reaction with 1.00g Magnesium. Therefore, as the reaction between the hydrochloric acid
and magnesium metal progressed, the more the amount of particles colliding with enough activation
energy to yield the product which is hydrogen gas, hence, the more the frequency of effective collisions,
producing a larger amount of Hydrogen gas per second. Therefore, the rate of redox reaction increases.
Furthermore, the results have been justified since in the graph showing the rate of redox reaction
against each different HCl concentrations, the rate of redox reaction linearly increased as the
concentration of HCl increases; therefore, this supports the prediction.
Sources of Error:

 While measuring the volume of the acid, measurements were lower than 20mL of HCl for each
concentration. The less volume of HCl acid, the lower the rate of reaction, affecting the results
obtained.
 While measuring the mass of the magnesium metal, measurements were higher than 1.00g. The
more mass of magnesium metal, the higher rate of redox reaction between acid and metal,
affecting the results.
 While cutting the magnesium ribbons, some ribbons were cut in into large pieces. Large lengths
indicates lower surface area, therefore the lower the rate of reaction.; impacting the results

Improvements:

 Avoid parallax while measuring the volume of HCl for 20mL. This would avoid decreasing the
volume of acid for each concentration, hence prevent the rate of reaction to decrease
 Measure the magnesium ribbon until exactly 1.00g. This would avoid exceeding the mass of
magnesium, therefore, would prevent the rate of redox reaction to increase
 Cut the 1.00g magnesium metal for a constant length. This controls the surface area of the
magnesium metal which avoids decreasing the surface area, preventing the rate of reaction to
decrease.
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