Lesson 4 of 6 · Reaction Rates
Experiment⭐ 30 XP🧪 Potion KitchenSurface Area and Rate
Reaction Rates.
🎯 Your mission
Set it up. Test it. Be amazed.
⚡ The twist
If it bubbles, something invisible is escaping.
Mind = Blown
🧪 If you could remove all the empty space from atoms, the entire human race would fit in a sugar cube.
Make a hypothesis first
Guess: will the fizz be loud, soft, or none at all?
What You'll Learn
Only particles at the surface of a solid can be hit. Breaking a lump into powder exposes far more surface, so the rate rises sharply. It is also why fine dusts of flour, sugar or coal can explode when suspended in air.
Key Words
Tap a word to see its definition.
Materials Needed
- marble chips
- powdered calcium carbonate
- dilute hydrochloric acid
- gas syringe
- conical flask
- balance
- stopwatch
Safety First
- Carbonate powder becomes an irritant dust — add it gently and wear goggles and a mask.
- Never create a cloud of combustible powder near any flame.
Steps
Read the explanation above and note the two key terms before you start.
React equal masses of marble chips and powdered calcium carbonate with the same acid, recording gas volume every ten seconds. Plot both curves on one axis and compare initial gradients.
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 2Powdering a solid reactant increases the rate because it increases:
Where you see this in real life
Your toothpaste, your soap, even your breakfast involves this.
Stretch Challenge
Try this in real life this week.
Ask a grown-up to help you mix two safe kitchen things. Predict what will happen first.
For the dinner table
“What's something we cook that mixes things together this way?”
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Surface Area and Rate
Set it up. Test it. Be amazed.
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