Stefano Fochesatto

Mr.Kahoe
AP Chemistry
12/9/15

The Reaction Kinetics of Acetone and Crystal Violet

The rate law is an equations that aims to predict the relationship between the concentration of the
reactants and the rate of the reaction. Along with the Arrhenius equation which works to identify
the relationship between the rate constant, the activation energy, and the kinetic energy of the
reaction there is very little that is undiscoverable about the reaction itself. In our experiment we
became familiar with two methodologies, the first being the method of initial rates which was
used in the portion of the experiment that relates to the iodination of acetone. Throughout this
portion of the experiment there were a few hiccups in regards to data collection, which ended up
in the invalidation of one of the trials, leaving us unable to calculate the rate law for the reaction
yet our lab group was still able to participate. Through a consensus among peers (giving us the
order for each concentration) we were able to calculate the rate constant at 45C (3.03*10^-4)
which in turn allowed us to solve for the activation energy of acetone (27.63 kJ). The second
being the method of integrated rate laws, where the rate constant and orders are calculated using
the linear regression that is the best fit for each integrated rate law.

Introduction:

To start we want to become fluid in the use of various methods pertaining to the
discovery of rate laws, such as the initial rates method and the integrated rate law method. From
then we need to use the Arrhenius equation to solve for the activation energy, which gives us the
energy that is needed to cause the reaction to proceed to the products. With that said there is two
parts to this experiment, the first is the iodination of acetone.
CH3COCH3(aq) + I2(aq) + H+(aq) > CH3COCH2I(aq) + I(aq) + 2H+(aq)

We will be replacing one hydrogen atom with an iodine atom, in order to do this we are going to
need a catalyst that is going to speed this up this reaction, because if left to naturally occur would
take days. We used an acid based catalyst in the form of HCL. The rate law for this reaction has
to be,
Rate = k[Ac]m[H+]n[I2]p

We were told that the order of Iodine would be zero, so it can simply be ignored in this equation.
The next step to the first part involves determining the activation energy for this reaction, to do
so we must gather a myriad of samples all with varying temperatures and use the Arrhenius
equation,

ln (k)

- Ea 1
ln (A)
R T

Graphing the samples over a ln(k) vs. 1/T plot, we can use a simplified Arrhenius equation,
Ea = (-slope)(8.3145)

In the second part of this experiment we will be looking at a reaction that involves adding
a hydroxide ion to crystal violet. The reaction and rate law simply,
CV+ (aq) + OH- (aq) CVOH (aq)
Rate = k[CV+]m[OH-]n

The concentration hydroxide ions was more than 1000 times larger than the crystal violet
concentration, the change in its concentration was negligible. Because the change was so
negligible we only had to find the order with respect to crystal violet, thus the rate constant that
we calculate will only be for the crystal violet and is known as a pseudo rate constant. In order to
use the integrated rate laws, we need to have a measure for the concentration of crystal violet as
the reaction is occurring. To do this we had to use a colorimeter, which measures the absorbance
of a solution, and we will use a colorimeter because as the reaction goes from crystal violet ions
to crystal violet hydroxide it turns from a dark purple to a clear solution. Although the
absorbance of a solution isnt exactly the concentration, it will work because according to Beers
law, absorbance and concentration are directly proportional.
After the order of [CV+] was discovered using a graph that plots ln(Absorbance) vs. Time, for
both trials, which only differed by temperature it was possible to solve for the activation energy
of the reaction using the Arrhenius equation,
=

Procedure:

To begin we prepared a water bath to regulate the temperature of the reaction and the
reactants, this was set at 25C with the 400-mL beaker, a hot plate and a ring stand to hold out
the thermometer. Then we prepared the Acetone/HCl mixture and Iodine/water mixture in
separate test tubes for each trial (see table #1) and allowed them to thermally equilibrate in the
water bath. After reaching thermal equilibrium we took each corresponding mixture and one at a
time, poured them together and put the test tube containing the reaction back in the water bath.
As soon as the test tube reached the water bath we began timing the reaction and stopped when
the reaction mixture become colorless. Then we took steps to find the activation energy in order
to do so we needed a temperature dependent trial for mixture number two. We prepared the
water bath to the temperature that we received from our instructor, in this case it was 45C and
continued the previous steps with mixture two (see table #1).

In the next part of the experiment where we dealt with crystal violet and hydroxide. First
we prepared four test tubes, two with 10.0mL of 0.10 M NaOH, and two with 10.0mL of 2.5*10 5
crystal violet. Then we prepared our colorimeter by calibrating it with a cuvette full of the
sodium hydroxide mixture (to only measure the absorbance of crystal violet) set to the 565nm
wavelength. Then we set up the lab quest to record data every second for three hundred seconds.

After everything was set up we initiated the reaction by pouring one of the test tubes that
had the NaOH solution into a 250mL beaker and then poured one of the crystal violet solutions
in the same beaker as well. We continued by pipetting the reacting solution from the 250ml
beaker into the cuvette and then put the cuvette into the colorimeter to record the data. In order to
calculate the activation energy we need to have the rate constant for the same reaction at two
different temperatures. With this in mind we continued by setting up a water bath just like in the
aforementioned part of the experiment except this time we set the temperature 30C and set the
remaining test tubes to thermally equilibrate. After reaching thermal equilibrium we initiated the
reaction and then placed the 30C reacting solution into the cuvette and recorded a new set of
data.

Data/Observations:

Initial Rates Method: Acetone Iodination

4.00 M Acetone
(mL)
5.0

10.0

1.00 M HCl
(mL)

5.0

5.0

5.0

0.005 M I2
(mL)

5.0

5.0

10.0

H2O (mL)
10.0

5.0

5.0

5.0

This table tells us the initial volumes for each reactant in the initial rates method portion of the
experiment.
Table 2: Acetone Kinetics
Mixture

Temp. (C)

Time 1 (s)

Time 2 (s)

25

173

340

25

63

2
3

25

64

54.62
54.63

Avg. Time
(s)

Rate [I2]/t
(M/s)

59.31

1.68*10^-5

256.5

58.815

3.89*10^6
1.7*10^-5

This table refers to the data that was collected as the Acetone/HCl mixture reacted with the
I2/H2O mixture. Sadly the first, and base line trial was compromised.

Table 3: Dependence of k on Temperature

45

Time 1 (s)
12.9

Time 2 (s)
8.18

Rate [I2]/t

(M/s)

10.29

Data set that was collected during the temperature dependent trial.
Table 4: Class Data to Determine Ea
Group Temp.
1/T (K)
(C)

ln (k)

20

1/293

3.6*10-5

-10.289

30

1/303

7.2*10-5

-9.379

20

1/293

30

1/303

35

35

10

45

1.110*10-4

1/313

2.08*10-4

1/318

-10.637

8.4*10-5

1/308
1/308

40

2.4*10-5

-9.529
-9.055

1.23*10-4

-8.997
-8.478

3.03*10-4

8.102

Graph 1: Class Graph and Regression

Class Data for Temperature Dependent Trial

0.0031
0

0.00315

0.0032

0.00325

0.00335

0.0034

0.00345

Y = -8841x + 19.701

-2

ln(K)

0.0033

-4
-6
-8
-10
-12

1/T(K)

Graphical representattion of the chart where the values for 1/T(k) are on the x-axis and the values for
ln(k) are on the y-axis. The regression model will be used to calculate the activation energy later on.

The Intergrated Rates Method: The Formation of Crystol Violet Hydroxide

25

First Order: Absorbance of Crystal Violet 25C

50

75

100

125

150

175

200

225

250

275

300

Y = -0.0103x - 0.3422

-0.5
-1
-1.5
-2
-2.5
-3
-3.5
-4

The X-axis shows time in seconds and the Y-axis shows the natural log of the absorbance data.

Graph 3: Absorbance of Crystal Violet Reactio Measured at 30C

0
-0.5

25

50

First Order: Absorbance of Crystal Violet 30C

100

125

150

175

200

225

250

275

300

Y = -0.0131x - 0.251

-1
-1.5
-2
-2.5
-3
-3.5
-4

The X-axis shows time in seconds and the Y-axis shows the natural log of the absorbance data

Calculations:

Discussion:

This experiment was proposed with one outcome in mind, to become familiar with the
concept of chemical kinetics. With a 20.7% error in the calculation for the activation energy
needed in the iodination of acetone, the proposed goal was succeeded. This means that our
methods for calculating chemical kinetics actually work, and are consistent as well. But there is
always room for more refinement and experimenting with these methods, it would be interesting
to see if rather than trying to retain the internal temperature of the reactant we could predicts its
decay using Newtons law of cooling TPredicted = aekt + TSurrounding, where t is time, a is the
initial temperature constant and k is the continuous rate of cooling that the object is
undergoing. Incorporating Newtons law of cooling would give a better answer for the activation
energy of crystal violet.
One of the biggest problems within our experiment was with the loss of the first trial in
the iodination of acetone portion. With that loss we were not able to calculate the order of the
acetone or the hydrochloric acid. This could have been due to many things, since it was the first
trial it is possible that the water bath was not ready, or maybe the test tubes were still cold after
washing them with cold water. There must have been some unknown temperature variable that
righted itself after the first trial. Regardless of that we were given the orders for the
concentrations of acetone and hydrochloric acid, and we were able to calculate the rate constant
for the temperature dependent trial, as well as the activation energy without a hitch.