To test the effect of inorganic and organic catalyst concentration and surface area on the reaction rate.
Introduction:
In this experiment the experimenters will seek to determine what factors determine the rate of a reaction with a catalyst. A catalyst is a molecule that starts a chemical reaction, but it is not part of the reaction it is causing. The experimenters will use pieces cut up potato as an organic catalyst. The potato contain enzymes that will perform the reactions. Enzymes, “are proteins, produced by living cells; they catalyze chemical reactions by lowering the activation energy. Activation energy is the energy required for a chemical reaction to occur” (Carter 1). Substrates or reactants are the molecules that are …show more content…
Then, place the mashed potato into a clean test tube and add 2 ml of hydrogen peroxide. Now record the reaction rate on a scale from 0-5, 5 being the fastest. Now do the same thing but with 1 unmashed potato, 2 mashed pieces of potato, and 3 mashed pieces of potato. Next, put on safety goggles and take about 1 ⅛ teaspoon of manganese dioxide and put it in a test tube. Add 2 ml of hydrogen peroxide to the test tube and record the reaction rate as instructed before. Repeat the manganese steps, but with 2 scoop of manganese dioxide, and 3 scoops of manganese dioxide. Record all data and analyze in charts and graphs. …show more content…
Throughout each test, manganese dioxide had a higher reaction rate than the potato. In data table two, the new potato piece and new H₂O₂ had a reaction rate of 2.5 out of 3 and the manganese and new H₂O₂ had a reaction rate of 3. Additionally, the 1 mashed potato piece had a reaction rate of 2 out of 5 and 1 scoop of manganese dioxide had a reaction rate of 3. Two mashed potato pieces had a reaction rate of 4 and 2 scoops of manganese dioxide had a reaction rate of 5. Three mashed potatoes had a reaction rate of 4.5, and 3 scoops of manganese dioxide had a reaction rate of 5. Therefore the data supported that inorganic catalysts are faster than organic catalysts. However, it was hypothesized that as the catalyst concentration and surface area increased the reaction rate would increase, this was supported by the data. This was because, the reaction rate of the potato pieces was greater when there was more surface and when there was more mashed potato added. The reaction rate manganese dioxide increase as more of it was added, too. When the potato was mashed it increase the surface area, which allowed for more areas for the hydrogen peroxide to access the enzymes in the potatoes. This caused an increase in the reaction rate. Increasing the concentration of the catalysts increased the reaction rate, because there were more catalysts to act upon the substrates. After 2 scoops of manganese dioxide, the reaction rate did not increase any