Examining Reaction Rate and Temperature

Recognizing Cause and Effect Several factors affect the rate of a chemical reaction. This lab allows you to examine the effect of temperature on a common chemical reaction. 

Materials small beaker, thermometer, hot plate, 250-mL beaker, balance, water, effervescent (bicarbonate) tablet, stopwatch or clock with second hand 

Take a single effervescent tablet and break it into four roughly equal pieces. 

Measure the mass of one piece of the tablet. Measure 50 ml of room-temperature water (approximately 20°C) into a small cup or beaker. Measure the temperature of the water. 

With a stopwatch ready, add the piece of tablet to the water. Record the amount of time elapsed between when the tablet hits the water and when you see that all of the piece of tablet has dissolved in the water. 

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