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What Factors Affect the Rate of Reaction Between Magnesium and Hydrochloric acid?

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Science Coursework – What factors effect the rate of reaction between magnesium and hydrochloric acid?

Background Knowledge

There are four factors that can affect the rate of reaction and they all rely on the collision theory. This is basically how hard and how often particles collide with each other. The more and harder they collide, the faster the reaction time will be.

If the acid is made more concentrated there are more particles, which means collisions are more likely. So, the higher the concentration, the quicker the reaction time is.

Temperature also affects the rate of reaction. If the temperature is increased, the particles move quicker so more collisions happen. This means the higher the temperature, the …show more content…

The last factor that increases rate of reaction is the surface area.
Grinding up the magnesium into a powder increases the surface area, so the acid has more space to react on. This means the larger surface area, the quicker reaction time.

Magnesium reacts very strongly with hydrochloric acid. In a high concentration of acid it can take just a few seconds for magnesium to furiously bubble and finally completely dissolve with no trace except for hydrogen gas.

Equation of magnesium and hydrochloric acid:

2 HCl+ + Mg [IMAGE]Mg2+ + H2

Measuring rates of reaction

In this investigation there are two experiments that can be used to test rates of reaction.

Using a gas syringe

As more gas is produced the plunger inside the syringe moves out of the syringe so the gas can be measured by marks on the syringes length. I would have to measure the amount of hydrogen produced in regular intervals which would change for each concentration. Again, I would need approximately six or seven results to create enough points to put on a graph graph.

Collecting Gas using a Syringe

Equipment needed:

-Scales;
-Conical flask;
-Gas syringe;
-Stand with clamp;
-Hydrochloric acid (30 ml);
-Magnesium strip (2cm long);
-Rubber tube with bung.

The graph will have an independent variable and a dependant variable.
The independent variable being fixed intervals of time on the x-axis,

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