PAG 9.2: Rate of Reaction - Calcium Carbonate & Hydrochloric Acid
The Reaction of Calcium Carbonate and Hydrochloric Acid
- At GCSE level, this reaction is a standard experiment to see the effect of changing the surface area of a reactant on the rate of reaction
- Three sizes of calcium carbonate (marble) are commonly used:
- Large chips
- Small chips
- Powder
- Three sizes of calcium carbonate (marble) are commonly used:
- The reaction itself cannot change
CaCO3 (s) + 2HCl (aq) → CaCl2 (aq) + H2O (l) + CO2 (g)
- However, the application and analysis of the results shifts more towards the mathematical skills of accurately plotting graphs, drawing tangents and calculating gradients
- This reaction can be monitored by measuring:
- The volume of carbon dioxide gas produced
- The mass loss from the reaction vessel
Method 1 - Volume of CO2 produced
- Support a gas syringe with a stand, boss and clamp.
- Add 50 cm3 of dilute hydrochloric acid to a conical flask
- Loosely connect the gas syringe
- Measure 0.40 g of calcium carbonate
- Add the 0.40 g of calcium carbonate into the conical flask, replace the gas syringe and start the stopwatch
- Record the volume of gas produced every 10 seconds. Continue timing until no more carbon dioxide appears to be given off
- Another method to achieve these results would be the downward displacement of water method, where an upturned measuring cylinder of water is placed in a water trough
- This method still records the volume of carbon dioxide produced
Specimen results 1 - Volume of CO2 produced
- Here is a set of typical results for this experiment
Rate of carbon dioxide production in the reaction of calcium carbonate and hydrochloric acid table
Time (s) | 10 | 20 | 30 | 40 | 50 | 60 |
Volume of CO2 produced (cm3) | 34 | 57 | 69 | 71 | 72 | 72 |
Graphing the results 1 - Volume of CO2 produced
Analysis 1 - Volume of CO2 produced
- The curve of best fit is drawn on the graph
- A tangent can then drawn starting from (0,0) to find the initial rate of reaction
- The gradient of the tangent is calculated
- This is the rate of reaction
- In the example above, the rate of reaction is:
- Gradient 3.6 cm3 s-1
Method 2 - Mass of the reaction vessel
- Measure 0.40 g of calcium carbonate into a weighing boat
- Add 50 cm3 of dilute hydrochloric acid to a conical flask
- Place the conical flask of hydrochloric acid AND the weighing boat of calcium carbonate onto the balance
- Measure the combined mass and record this as the t = 0 result
- Add the 0.40 g of calcium carbonate into the conical flask, replace the weighing boat onto the balance and start the stopwatch
- Record the mass every 10 seconds. Continue timing until no further mass is lost
- It may be necessary to use more dilute concentrations of hydrochloric acid because it may not be realistically possible to record the mass every second
- A data logger could be connected to the balance (if available) and this can track the mass over time
Specimen results 2 - Mass of the reaction vessel
- Here is a set of typical results for this experiment
Rate of change in mass in the reaction of calcium carbonate and hydrochloric acid table
Time (s) | 0 | 10 | 20 | 30 | 40 | 50 | 60 |
Mass (g) | 302.700 | 302.650 | 302.600 | 302.580 | 302.568 | 302.568 | 302.568 |
Graphing the results 2 - Mass of the reaction vessel
Analysis 2 - Mass of the reaction vessel
- The curve of best fit is drawn on the graph
- A tangent can then drawn starting from (0,0) to find the initial rate of reaction
- The gradient of the tangent is calculated
- This is the rate of reaction
- In the example above, the rate of reaction is:
- Gradient (a loss of) 5.26 x 10-3 g s-1
- A simpler version of this practical can be done by hitting the TARE / reset button on the balance when the calcium carbonate is added
- This then records the mass lost and can be used to give a graph with a curve more like the volume of CO2 produced graph