Reaction Rate

About Reaction Rates

Reaction rate is the speed at which reactants are converted into products. It can be measured by monitoring the change in concentration of reactants or products over time. In this experiment, we measure the volume of hydrogen gas produced as magnesium ribbon dissolves in hydrochloric acid.

Factors affecting reaction rate include temperature (higher temperature increases particle kinetic energy and collision frequency), concentration (higher concentration increases the number of reactive particles per unit volume), surface area (more surface area provides more sites for reaction), and catalysts (lower activation energy without being consumed). The rate law for this reaction can be expressed as: Rate = k[HCl]²[Mg], where k is the rate constant that increases exponentially with temperature according to the Arrhenius equation.