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Effect of Surface Area on Rate of Reaction

Jul 30, 2024

Science Experiment: Effect of Surface Area on the Rate of Reaction

Introductions

  • Speakers:

    • Amelia: Lab technician and science ambassador at Sanctum School, Cambridge.
    • Guest: Excited to bring Science Hazel to the lab and conduct practical experiments.
  • About Amelia:

    • Works at Sanctum School, promotes science among kids.
    • Active on Instagram with science experiments and videos (@amelie_about_science).

Objective

  • Experiment: Investigate the effect of surface area on the rate of reaction.
  • Materials Used: Calcium Carbonate (CaCO3)
    • Two forms: Chip form and powdered form.

Key Variables

  • Independent Variable (IV): Surface area of calcium carbonate (chip vs. powdered form).
  • Control Variables:
    • Starting mass of calcium carbonate.
    • Temperature of the reaction environment.
    • Concentration of hydrochloric acid (HCl).

Reaction Details

  • Chemical Reaction:
    • Calcium Carbonate (CaCO3) reacts with Hydrochloric Acid (HCl).
    • Produces Calcium Chloride (CaCl2), Water (H2O), and Carbon Dioxide (CO2).

Experimental Setup

  • Acid Concentration: 0.5 Molar (0.5M) HCl
  • Volume of Acid Used: 25 ml

Procedure

  1. Powdered Calcium Carbonate Experiment:

    • Measure 25 ml of 0.5M HCl.
    • Start the stopwatch and observe.
    • Produce 45 cm³ of CO2 in 30 seconds.
  2. Chipped Calcium Carbonate Experiment:

    • Measure 25 ml of 0.5M HCl.
    • Start the stopwatch and observe.
    • Produce 5 cm³ of CO2 in 30 seconds.

Observations & Results

  • Results Comparison:
    • Powdered form produced significantly more CO2 (45 cm³) compared to the chip form (5 cm³) in the same time frame.
    • Demonstrates that smaller surface area results in a slower rate of reaction compared to a larger surface area.

Calculations

  • Rate of Reaction Calculation:
    • Rate = Change in volume of CO2 / Time
    • Rate for powdered form = 45 cm³ / 30 seconds.
    • Rate for chip form = 5 cm³ / 30 seconds.