Lesson 3 of 6 · Reaction Rates
Experiment⭐ 30 XP🧪 Potion KitchenTemperature and Rate
Reaction Rates.
🎯 Your mission
Run the experiment. Find out what really happens.
⚡ The twist
Color changes mean atoms are rearranging — even if you can't see them.
Mind = Blown
🌈 Every color you see is your brain inventing a translation of light frequencies.
Make a hypothesis first
Before you mix: what color do you think it'll turn?
What You'll Learn
Raising temperature does two things: particles move faster so collide more often, and a much larger fraction have energy above the activation barrier. The second effect dominates, which is why a 10 °C rise roughly doubles many reaction rates.
Key Words
Tap a word to see its definition.
Materials Needed
- sodium thiosulfate solution
- dilute hydrochloric acid
- water bath
- thermometer
- conical flask
- stopwatch
Safety First
- Sulfur dioxide is released — ventilate well and exclude anyone with asthma.
- Hot glassware and water baths scald; use tongs and let an adult manage the heating.
Steps
Read the explanation above and note the two key terms before you start.
Repeat the thiosulfate and acid reaction at five temperatures from 20 °C to 60 °C at fixed concentration. Plot rate against temperature and test whether a 10 °C rise roughly doubles the rate.
Record what actually happened, including anything that did not match what you expected.
Write a conclusion that answers the question this lesson opened with, and state your uncertainty.
Check Your Understanding
Question 1
1 of 2Raising temperature increases rate mainly because more particles:
Where you see this in real life
This is happening in your kitchen right now — every time food cooks.
Stretch Challenge
Try this in real life this week.
Find one ingredient in a snack and look up what it does.
For the dinner table
“What's something we cook that mixes things together this way?”
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Temperature and Rate
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