SIC1012

LAB REPORT EXPERIMENT 5: CHEMICAL KINETICS

PREPARED FOR: DR VANNAJAN S. LEE

NAME SUMAYYAH BINTI LOKMAN

MATRIX NO. 22003285/1

SEMESTER 1

OCCURANCE 1

DATE OF 8th MAY 2023

EXPERIMENT
OBJECTIVE: to determine the rate constant of hydrolysis of methyl acetate.

INTRODUCTION
In Physical Chemistry, chemical kinetics is a crucial subject that focuses on assisting students
in comprehending the various aspects of a chemical reaction. The term "kinetics" more properly
refers to the rate of change of a particular quantity. It enables us to comprehend reaction rates
and how external factors affect them. It also helps to describe the properties of a chemical
reaction and collect and analyse data regarding the reaction's mechanism. In every chemical
reaction, the number of reactants reduces as the reaction progresses while the amount of
products increases. It is important to keep in mind that the rates at which reactants are
consumed or at which products are produced determines the rate of the overall reaction.

The rate of product formation and the rate of reactant disappearance can be easily determined
from the slope of the curves for products and reactants if a graph is plotted between the
concentration of reactants and products and time (Chemical Kinetics - Notes on Rate of
Reaction, Formulas, Questions, n.d.).

Rate of reaction can be measured as the rate of the disappearance of reactants or the rate of
formation of products in a chemical reaction. Rate of reaction is generally defined as dc/dt
(differentiation of concentration with respect to time).

The overall order of a reaction is defined to be the sum of the individual orders of reaction in
each of the species involved. Thus, a reaction whose rate is proportional to the concentration
of only one of the reactants or products of the reaction (ie, the reaction is first order in that
species) is termed a first order reaction. The differential equation for the rate law of a first order
reaction whose rate depends only on the concentration of one reactant can be written as:

dc
- [ dt ] = kc [1]

Where

c = concentration of the reactant which the rate depends

t = time
k = rate constant

dx
= k(a-x) [2]
dt

a = initial concentration of reactant

(a-x) = decrease in reactant concentration after time t

Integrating equation [2] produce equation [3] which is

a
ln a-x = kt [3]
rearrange equation [3] gives:

ln (a-x) = -kt + ln a [4]

therefore, for a first order reaction, a graph of ln (a-x) vs t is a straight line with gradient -k.

MATERIALS
Apparatus: conical flasks, burette, pipettes, stopwatch, water bath
Chemicals: methyl acetate, 0.5M hydrochloric acid, 0.1M sodium hydroxide solution,
phenolphthalein indicator.

EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE:

1. 100ml of 0.5M hydrochloric acid (HCl) is transferred into a conical flask with a stopper
and placed in a water bath.
2. Another flask containing methyl acetate is placed into the same water bath.
3. While the temperature of the chemicals equilibrates, a burette is filled with 0.1M of
sodium hydroxide (NaOH).
4. The temperature of the water bath is recorded every 15 minutes.
5. 5ml of methyl acetate is pipetted into the conical flask containing HCl when the
temperature of the chemicals equilibrates with the temperature of the water bath.
Record and consider this moment as the initial time for the reaction(t0). The conical
flask is shaken well without removing it from the water bath.
6. 5 ml of the mixture is pipetted and quickly placed into a 250ml conical flask containing
25 ml of icy water. The time this is done is recorded and considered as the time of the
reaction, t. In this case, t is equal to 0.
7. The acid/methyl acetate solution which the reaction has stopped is then quickly titrated
with 0.1M NaOH using phenolphthalein as an indicator.
8. The burette reading for consecutive 5ml solution mixtures that have reacted is recorded
in the following time intervals: 10,20,30,45,60,80 minutes.
9. Record the time the reaction has stopped for every consecutive 5ml mixture taken from
the source mixture.
10. The remaining mixture is heated for about 10 minutes until it boils to complete the
reaction. The mixture is then cooled down and titrated with NaOH solution twice.
RESULTS

time, t initial Final reading/ml ∆t Volume ln (V∞-Vt)

reading/ml used/ml

11.55 2.40 31.20 2 28.80 3.038

12.03 0.10 29.60 10 29.50 3.004

12.13 0.20 31.00 20 30.80 2.938

12.23 0.80 32.60 30 31.80 2.883

12.38 0.50 34.20 45 33.70 2.771

12.53 1.10 35.80 60 34.70 2.706

13.13 0.50 36.90 80 36.40 2.586

13.34 0.10 49.70 ∞1 49.60

13.40 0.30 50.00 ∞2 49.70

13.45 0.10 49.80 ∞3 49.70

Average V∞= 49.67ml

3.1

2.9
ln(V∞-Vt)

2.8

2.7

2.6
y = -0.0059x + 3.0547

2.5
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90
t/min

Figure 1: graph of ln(V∞-Vt) against t

The equation obtained from the graph is y = -0.0059x + 3.0547 which the y-intercept is 3.0547
and the gradient is -0.0059. by using this information, the rate constant, k can be found.

ln (a-x) = -kt + ln a
ln (V∞-Vt) = - kt + ln V∞
y = mx + c
-k = m
-k = -0.0059 min-1
⸫ k= 0.0059 min-1

DISCUSSION
Based on the results obtained, we can see that volume of sodium hydroxide used and time are
directly proportional to each other.

Methyl acetate/methyl ethanoate

Figure 2: mechanism of hydrolysis of methyl acetate

As time increases, the production of acetic acid also increases. Thus, in order to neutralise the
acetic acid, more NaOH is used. Volume of sodium hydroxide used in t∞ is the highest as the
solution is heated and the time interval is the highest which increase the rate of reaction.
Based on the graph plotted, the equation obtained is y = -0.0059x + 3.0547. We can see from
the graph that when t increases, values of ln (V∞-Vt) decreases. The gradient of this graph is
negative which is -0.0059 min-1 and it is also equivalent to the rate constant of hydrolysis of
methyl acetate. The rate constant of -0.0059 min-1 is only applicable for the hydrolysis of
methyl acetate using 0.5M of hydrochloric acid as catalyst and at the temperature of 30℃.
Other variables except for concentration of methyl acetate need to be kept constant to ensure
the accuracy of the rate constant.
There are several factors that affects rate of reaction and one of them is temperature. Ice water
is used to stop the reaction so that an accurate rate constant can be obtained rom the experiment.
Other than that, as the solution is heated up, the rate of reaction increases which cause a jump
in volume of NaOH used.
PRECAUTION STEPS
1. Wash the pipette and burette using distilled water and followed by the solution that will
be used in that apparatus.
2. Use anti-bumping granules when heating the solution
3. Make sure that the meniscus level aligns with solution level in the burette to avoid
parallax error.
4. Make sure to remove air bubbles present in the burette ensure the accuracy of the
reading.
5. Titrate slowly to avoid overshooting.

CONCLUSION

Chemical kinetics is important because it provides proof for the mechanics underlying
chemical processes. Understanding reaction mechanisms is useful in determining the most
efficient approach to start a reaction, in addition to being of fundamental scientific interest.
Alternative reaction paths can be used in many industrial processes, and understanding the
mechanics enables the selection of reaction conditions that favour one path over the others
(Chemical Kinetics | Definition, Equations, & Facts, n.d.). It also helps us to study the effect
of temperature and catalysts on reaction rates besides predicting conditions for changing rates
and mechanisms of chemical reactions. Other than that, it helps us to calculate the
thermodynamic parameters like enthalpy changes and energy of the reactions (What Is the
Importance of Chemical Kinetics?, 2021).
REFERENCES

Chemical kinetics | Definition, Equations, & Facts. (n.d.). Encyclopedia Britannica.

https://www.britannica.com/science/chemical-kinetics

Chemical Kinetics - Notes on Rate of Reaction, Formulas, Questions. (n.d.). BYJUS.

https://byjus.com/jee/chemical-kinetics/

Chimactiv - Interactive numerical educational resources for the analysis of complex media.

(n.d.). Chimactiv - Interactive Numerical Educational Resources for the Analysis of

Complex Media. http://chimactiv.agroparistech.fr/en/bases/materiel/materiel/15

What is the importance of chemical kinetics? (2021, October 29). Sarthaks eConnect | Largest

Online Education Community. https://www.sarthaks.com/1494556/what-is-the-

importance-of-chemical-kinetics