Aanya Verma

IODINE CLOCK REACTION

Aim
The aim of this investigation is to study the effect of varying temperatures of Solution B on the rate of the iodine
clock reaction, by calculating the activation energy of the reaction.

Equation
IO−3 + 3HSO−3 → I− + 3HSO−4 (1)
IO−3 + 5I− + 6H+ → 3I2 + 3H2O (2)
I2 + HSO−3 + H2O → 2I− + HSO−4 + 2H+ (3)

Research Question
What is the effect of varying temperatures of solution B on the activation energy of the experiment, used to
analyze its rate of reaction.

Independent variable
The independent variable in this experiment is the temperature of solution B, measured in °C. Varying
temperatures are used in this investigation to observe the rate of reaction. By using different temperatures, the
kinetic energy of the reacting molecules and how they influence the rate of reaction can be studied. Temperature
is one of the factors know to increase the rate of reaction because higher temperatures increase the average
kinetic energy of molecules, which increases the number of collisions of the molecules.

Dependent variable
The dependent variable in this investigation is the reaction time, measured in seconds. The reaction time
represents the time taken for the blue-black starch complex to appear, which indicates that the iodine clock
reaction is complete. As varying temperatures are used, it results in different reaction times, leading to different
rates of reaction. By using different temperatures, we can see the reaction times at the varying temperatures,
which will help analyses the impact of temperature on the rate of reaction in the iodine clock reaction. This allows
the investigation to understand the relation between the temperature and rate of reaction, shown by the
calculated activation energy.

Controlled variables
Variable Why is it controlled?
Concentration of starch In the iodine clock reaction, starch serves as a visual indicator of the end
point of the reaction when the blue-black starch-iodine complex is formed.
To make sure that the detection of the endpoint is consistent and accurate,
the concentration of the starch solution must be controlled. If it is not
controlled and various concentrations of the starch solution are used, there
will be multiple inconsistencies in the timing and the intensity of the color
change, making the results irrelevant and unusable.
Acidity of solution B The solution B, which contains sodium metabisulfite (Na2S2O5), is a reducing
agent in the iodine clock reaction. Since it is acidified, it creates an acidic
environment. An acidic environment usually has a pH level that is below 7.0.
This is important for the reaction to work smoothly.

Materials
Equipment & chemicals Quantity Equipment & chemicals Quantity
25ml pipette 1 100ml conical flask 1
20ml pipette 1 Grey duct tape 1
10ml pipette 1 Stopwatch 1
250cm3 volumetric flask 1
 Aanya Verma
Methodology
Dilution calculations:
1
Volume of undiluted solution A for 250 ml stock solution = ×250 = 50 ml
5
Volume of water for solution A for 250 ml stock solution = 250−¿50 = 200 ml

Making stock solution A

1. Using a 50 cm3 pipette, measure out 50 ml of solution A put it into a 250 cm3 volumetric flask. Label the
flask ‘Solution A’.
2. Fill water up to the mark on the volumetric flask labelled ‘Solution A’.
3. Mix the contents of the volumetric flask thoroughly to create the stock solution A.

Preparing the solutions for the experiment

1. Using a 10cm3 pipette, measure out 4cm3 of solution A from the stock solution and put it into a 50 cm3
conical flask. Label this flask solution A1.
2. Using a 10cm3 pipette, measure out 6cm3 of H2O into the conical flask labelled solution A1.
3. Using a 10cm3 pipette, measure out 10cm3 of solution B and put it into a 50cm3 conical flask. Label it
solution B1.
4. Repeat these 4 steps and do the same for trial 2 and name the conical flasks as solution A2 and B2
respectively.

Conducting the experiment

1. Get a water basin and label two cross marks at the bottom surface using grey duct tape.
2. Place the two conical flasks labelled solution A on the cross marks.
3. Fill the water basin with water of the specific temperature.
4. Measure the temperature using a thermometer and note it down.
5. Pour in the solution B for both trials and start the stopwatch.
6. Repeat all the steps above for preparing the solutions for the experiment and conducting the experiment
for varying temperatures to collect the results for data processing.

Risk Assessment
Chemical Hazard
KIO3 Irritant, and oxidizing agent
Na2S2O5 Irritant, and corrosive
H2O2 Oxidizing agent, and corrosive
H2SO4 Corrosive and harmful if digested

Preliminary data
Volume of diluted Volume of H2O Volume of solution B Time taken/s ± 3s
solution A
5 5 10 107
4 6 10 167
3 7 10 316

Chosen volumes:
 4 cm3 of diluted solution A
 6 cm3 of H2O
 10 cm3 of solution B
 Aanya Verma
Raw Data
Temperature / °C ± Time/s ± 3s
0.1 Trial 1 Trial 2 Average/s ± 3s
18.7 192 194 193

20.5 153 159 156

32.3 140 142 141

43.4 136 134 135

56.6 Turned yellow Turned yellow Turned yellow

*Highlighted results are considered anomalies and will be kept out of data processing and graphs

Data processing
Temperature Temp/K 1 −1 Average time/s 1 1
/K Rate = k = lnk / s-1 = ( )
/ °C ± 0.1 18.7 + 273 = 291.70 K T ± 3s t t

18.7 291.7 0.00342818 193 0.00518135 -5.26

20.5 293.5 0.00340716 156 0.00641026 -5.05

32.3 305.3 0.00327547 141 0.00709220 -4.95

43.4 316.4 0.00316056 135 0.00740741 -4.91

Graph

lnk vs 1/T
-4.7
0.0031 0.00315 0.0032 0.00325 0.0033 0.00335 0.0034 0.00345

-4.8

-4.9

-5
lnk

-5.1

-5.2

-5.3

1/T
 Aanya Verma

Conclusion
According to my hypothesis that as the temperature increases, so does the rate of reaction, this experiment
abides by it.

Evaluation
Limitations
1. The experiment is highly sensitive to the changes around it such as temperature, which can impact the
credibility of the results and make it difficult to conduct the experiment perfectly.
2. There is a limit to the temperature range that can be used because if the temperature is too high, the
solution turns yellow, and lower temperatures are harder to achieve.
3. This experiment assumes first-order kinetics, where the rate of reaction is directly proportional to the
temperature. Although this helps evaluate the experiment theoretically, it is unlikely in real-world
experiments.