The activity involves reacting bicarbonate with acid, a reaction with practical applications in everyday life. The procedure is qualitative and encourages careful observation. Various factors are investigated by changing each separately, with all others constant. Discussion of how or why each variable affects the reaction rate is left to the instructor. If the activity is performed early in the school year, it might be revisited later when kinetics is introduced and those questions addressed at that time.
All materials are common household items.
The activity can be safely done at home or in the chemistry lab at school. Factors Affecting the Rate of a Chemical Reaction J. Chem. All rights reserved.