Introduction
This study is conducted to document a temperature dependent rate of reaction and apply
the Arrhenius Equation to ultimately determine an activation energy based on this
relationship of temperature and rate.
Arrhenius found the relationship between the rate constant of a reaction and the
temperature of the reaction mixture to be exponential, while integrating a factor reflective
of the probability and frequency of collisions. The rate of reaction is believed to be
hindered by a large necessary activation energy and advanced by a small necessary
activation energy. To visually observe a reaction, we will induce the transition of persulfate
ions to I2 compounds. The change should be readily apparent as the I2 dimer should
secondarily react with added starch to transform a clear persulfate ion-starch solution to a
blue-black I2-starch solution.
However, the combination of I2 and starch immediately turns the reaction solution blue
and no quantity of I2 production can be measured. Therefore, a known amount of
thiosulfate ion, S2O32-, is added because it should instantaneously react with the Iodine
dimer created until consumed. When the entire known quantity of the thiosulfate ion is
used up, the next additional I2 molecule formed in reaction should immediately turn the
solution color to dark blue-black. We can time how long it takes for the theoretically
known amount of I2 to be produced sufficiently to cause a visible secondary reaction.
All reactions proposed in the experiment involve mixing different volumes of solutions.
Appropriate amounts KNO3 solution will be added to maintain a fairly consistent number
of ions in each solution, but it is not believed to react with any other component. Kinetics
