Title : Rate of reaction of magnesium with hydrochloric acid.

Aim : To investigate the effect of reaction of magnesium with hydrochloric acid. Apparatus : Single-holed rubber bung and delivery tube , clamp, (100 cm and 50 cm) measuring cylinders, 2000 ml beaker, 100 cm conical flask, stop clock, ruler, sand paper. Materials : 1M hydrochloric acid solution, water, magnesium ribbon. Introduction : In a reaction between Hydrochloric Acid and Magnesium ribbon, the Hydrochloric Acid will dissolve the Magnesium ribbon and produce Hydrogen gas. All chemical reactions involve reactants which when mixed may cause a chemical reaction which will make products. In case the reactants are hydrochloric acid and magnesium ribbon. The chemical reaction takes place when the magnesium ribbon is dropped into the hydrochloric acid. The products that are formed during this reaction are hydrogen gas and magnesium chloride. The formula equation for this experiment is: Mg (s) + 2HCl (aq) MgCl (aq) + H (g) Magnesium will react with hydrochloric acid, because it is higher in the reactivity series that hydrogen. When the two chemicals react a displacement reaction will take place and the magnesium will displace the hydrogen in the hydrochloric acid forming magnesium chloride and hydrogen gas. Depending on certain factors the rate that this reaction will take place will either increase or decrease. The factors that may affect the rate of reaction which are temperature of the hydrochloric acid, mass of the magnesium ribbon used, concentration of the hydrochloric acid, surface area of the magnesium ribbon use. All of these factors will change the rate of reaction because of the Collision Theory. This is a theory that is used to predict the rate of a reaction. The Collision Theory is based on the idea that for a chemical reaction to take place, it is necessary for the reacting particles to collide with each other with enough energy to break or form new bonds between the other particles, which are called a successful collision. During collision if when they collide and they do not have enough energy to break or form new bonds then they will simple bounce of each other.

Procedure :

1. 50 cm of 1M hydrochloric acid was measured using one of the measuring cylinders. The acid was poured into the 100 cm conical flask. 2. The apparatus was set up as shown in the diagram. The trough was half filled with water. 3. The other measuring cylinder was filled with water, and when I turned it upside down I was make sure that it stays filled with water. 4. When I was ready, 3 cm strip of magnesium ribbon was added to the flask, the bung was put back into the flask as quickly as I can, and the stop clock was started. 5. The volume of hydrogen gas given off was recorded at suitable intervals (e.g 10 seconds). The timing was continued until no more gas appears to be given off. Results : Table 1 : Table of time intervals and volume of hydrogen gas. Time intervals (s) Volume of H (cm) 0 10 20 30 40 50 60

21

32

46

51

51

51

Discussion : When magnesium ribbon(Mg) was added to hydrochloric acid (HCl), the Mg will dissolve and will form bubbles of hydrogen gas (H). When the Mg dissolves, it forms magnesium ions with a 2+ charge (Mg2+) , and when the hydrogen atoms form H gas, they leave behind chloride ions, Cl-. Then, the Mg2+ ions will bond with the Cl- ions. Here is the single replacement reaction equation: Mg(s) + 2 HCl(aq) MgCl2(aq) + H2(g)

The rate of reaction was followed between magnesium and the acid, by measuring the amount of gas produced at 10 second intervals. In this reaction, the magnesium and acid are gradually used up. However the acid is in excess, so it is mainly the loss of magnesium (surface area becomes smaller) that causes the change in the rate. Based on the graph of volume of hydrogen gas (y-axis) against time (x-axis) is drawn, the slope of the graph is steepest at the beginning. This shows that the reaction is fastest at the start. As the magnesium is used up, the rate falls. This can be seen on the graph, as the slope becomes less steep and then levels out when the reaction has stopped (when no more gas is produced). The reaction is exothermic, but the dilute acid is in excess. There is some acceleration of the reaction rate due to the rise in temperature. I noticed the flask becoming slightly warm and this would affect the rate of reaction. In this experiment, some errors might be occur : Limitation The magnesium ribbon was not clean properly, therefore the oxide layer still present on the surface of magnesium ribbon. Parallax errors might occur when taking the reading of the volume of hydrogen gas using measuring cylinder. This cause when the observers eye is not perpendicular to the meniscus level of the water. The stop clock did not simultaneously start when magnesium ribbon is added to the flask that contains hydrochloric acid solution. Suggestion The magnesium ribbon should be clean properly with fine sandpaper to remove the oxide layer. To reduce the error, make sure that the eye level is perpendicular to the meniscus of the water in the measuring cylinder and place the measuring cylinder on the flat surface. Make sure that the stop clock must start simultaneously when add the magnesium ribbon to the flask that contains hydrochloric acid solution to get accurate results.

Conclusion : The reaction between magnesium ribbon and hydrochloric acid solution is exothermic reaction. Furthermore, when the time taken for 10(s) intervals is increases, the volume of hydrogen gas also increases but the volume of hydrogen gas decreases in the middle of reaction because magnesium is used up. Questions : 1. Write an equation for the reaction taking place in the experiment? Mg(s) + 2 HCl(aq) MgCl(aq) + H(g)

2. Plot a graph of volume of gas against time.

60

Graph of volume of hydrogen gas against time

50

40

Volume of hydrogen gas (cm)

30

20

10

0 0 10 20

Time (s)

30

40

50

60

70

3. Explain the shape of the graph produced. Based on the graph above, the slope of the graph is steepest at the beginning. This shows that the reaction is fastest at the start. As the magnesium is used up, the rate falls. This can be seen on the graph, as the slope becomes less steep and then levels out when the reaction has stopped (when no more hydrogen gas is produced). 4. Calculate the rate of reaction?

5. This is an exothermic reaction. How would this affect the rate of the reaction? And how would you adapt the experiment make it a fair test? The reaction is exothermic, but the dilute acid is in excess. There is some acceleration of the reaction rate due to the rise in temperature. Hence, the flask becoming slightly warm and this would affect the rate of reaction. When the reaction have an increase in temperature it will favour reverse reaction to use up the heat because this is an exothermic reaction. Therefore, the rate of reaction will increase. To make it as a fair test, we need to making sure that we change one factor at a time while keeping all other conditions the same. In addition, repeating an experiment is an important step to verify that your results are consistent and not just an accident. Lastly, for this experiment, we should plan to repeat it at least three times but more is better to obtain accurate results. References : 1. Nuffield foundation, 2007. Rate of reaction magnesium with hydrochloric acid, [online] Available at : < http://www.nuffieldfoundation.org/practical-chemistry/rate-reactionmagnesium-hydrochloric-acid > [Accessed on 17 April 2013] 2. Jim Clark, 2011. Reaction between Magnesium and hydrochloric acid [online] Available at : < http://www.chemguide.co.uk/inorganic/group2/reactacids.html> [Accessed on 19 April 2013] 3. 123HelpMe.com, 2000 . The reaction between magnesium and hydrochloric acid . [online] Available at : < http://www.123helpme.com/view.asp?id=148762 > [Accessed on 19 April 2013] 4. Geoffrey Neuss, 2007. IB Chemistry Course Companion, Oxford Press. 5. A .Caroline, M. Chris, O. Steve, 2011. Cambridge, Chemistry For The IB Diploma. Cambridge University Press, UK.