THE IODINE CLOCK REACTION: Effect of Ionic Strength

on Reaction rate
Dannah Joy Gamil 1, John Paul Ibañez2, Annabelle Salazar3
1
Department of Chemistry, Western Mindanao State University, Baliwasan Normal Rd. Zamboanga, Zamboanga del Sur,
Philippines, 7000

ABSTRACT
The rate of the reaction of Iodide and persulfate ion was determined with different volume of water
(H2O) with the same KNO3 concentration in each trial (10 trials). The goal of this experiment was to
determine the relationship between Ionic strength and the reaction rate. For this experiment the
rate constant is determined to be at K = 5.9x10-3 M-1s-1 and the charge of the transition state of the
ZAZB was determined to be 1.026. In addition, it was found out that both ions in the reaction exhibits
first order reaction, summing up to overall order of reaction 2. It was concluded that the effect of
the addition of salt to the reaction depends on the product of the charges of the reactants Z AZB from
the Bronsted equation, the positive sign of our ZAZB indicates that increasing the ionic strength of
the solution causes the increase on the rate of the reaction.

Keywords: Iodine Clock Reaction; Kinetic Salt Effect; Reaction rate; Ionic strength; Brö nsted
Equation; Reaction order.

INTRODUCTION

The reaction rate is a measure of how fast the reactants are consumed to form products. 1 The
reaction rate is dependent with the concentration of species involved in the rate determining step,
as well as the ionic strength. Depending on the reaction, increasing the ionic strength may results to
accelerate the reaction or to slow down the reaction. If the transition state of the reaction is a
complex formed by two (2) cations or two (2) anions, then the reaction rate increases with
increasing ionic strength. 2 This is because of the charge of the transition state complexes magnitude
is much higher than the individual reactant; thus, the transition state of the reaction can stabilize by
ions in the solution more than the separate reactants. 2 If the transition state complex is formed by
an anion and cation, the reaction rate decreases with increasing ionic strength. 1 this is due to the
needed stabilization of the reactants in a reaction rather than the transition state complex which
has a lesser total charge than each reactant. The effect of ionic strength on reaction rate is called as
kinetic Salt Effect. The main purpose of this experiment is to observe the effect of Ionic strength on
reaction rate for the reaction of Iodide ions and persulfate ions. The representation of K2S2O8 and KI
reaction in Iodine clock reaction: S2O8-2 + 2I- → 2SO42- + I2. If the reactions transition state complex is
on opposite signs, a decrease of reaction rate and an increase of ionic Strength should be observed.
Conversely, if the transition state complex contains two like charges the reaction rate will increase
and the Ionic strength will also increase.2
METHODS

Materials and Equipment. The reagents used: KI, Na2S2O3, K2S2O8, KNO3, Water (H2O), and 1%
starch. The materials used for this experiment are beakers, burettes, Erlenmeyer Flasks, stopwatch
and other equipment was prepared for the experiment.

Determination of Ionic strength with three (3) different solution with different concentration.
KI with 0.1M is added with 20 mL of aliquot, Na 2S2O3 with a concentration of 0.0005 M is added
with 10 mL of aliquot and lastly, K2S2O8 with a concentration of 0.01 is added with 20 mL of aliquot.

Determination of Ionic Strength and Reaction rate on each KNO 3 solutions. In this part, there
were 10 trials subjected for observation, at constant concentration and varying amount of aliquot.
In a beaker add 20 mL of 0.1 M KI, add 10 mL of 0.0005 Na2S2O3, add 5 mL 1% starch, add (45-n mL)
water (H2O), add (n-45 mL) KNO3 and lastly add 10 mL of 0.01 K 2S2O8 on each solution and then
immediately start the timer and the timer was soon stopped as soon as the solutions turns into blue
colored solution. The changing of color cause by the addition of K 2S2O8 indicates that the reaction is
complete.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Using the data obtained from the experiment the rate constant (k) and Ionic Strength is determined.

Table 1. Concentration of solution and Ionic Strength

solutions KI Na2S2O3 K2S2O8

Concentration of the 0.1 0.0005 0.01

Volume in 100 mL 20 10 20
aliquot (mL)

Concentration in the 0.02 0.00005 0.002

IONIC STRENGTH 0.02615

In this first part of the procedure we are to determine the Ionic strength due to KI, Na2S2O3, K2S2O8.
To solve the Ionic Strength first we have to solve the concentration of the solution in order to solve
(M of solution)(V of solution)
the formula M = is used where it was determined that the
V solution
concentration of the solution KI is 0.02 M, Na2S2O3 is 0.00005 M, and K2S2O8 is 0.002 M. through the
equation I = 1/2 n∑i (CiZi )2 we are able to solve for Ionic strength due to KI, Na2S2O3, K2S2O8 where
1
the formula is written like I = ¿ in which we are able to determine that the Ionic strength due to
2
KI, Na2S2O3, K2S2O8 is 0.02615.

Table 2. Determination of Ionic Strength and Reaction rate on each KNO 3 solutions and the
tabulated necessary data for the graphs

TRIAL NO. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

VOLUME IN 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45
100 mL
aliquot (mL)

Concentration 0 0.01 0.02 0.03 0.04 0.05 0.06 0.07 0.08 0.09
of aliquot in
the solution
(mol/L)

Time (s) 105.9 98.86 96.61 92.79 88.1 83.18 80.82 76.3 72.8 68.39
3 6

IONIC 0.026 0.036 0.046 0.056 0.066 0.076 0.086 0.096 0.10 0.116
STRENTH 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 615 15

Reaction Rate 2.36X 2.53x 2.59x 2.69x 2.84x 3.01x 3.09x 3.28x 3.43 3.66x1
10-02 10-07 10-07 10-07 10-07 10-07 10-07 10-07 x10- 0-07
07

-Log t - - - - - - - - - -
2.025 1.995 1.985 1.967 1.944 1.920 1.907 1.882 1.86 1.834
02 02 02 5 98 02 52 52 249 99

Log K - - - - - - - - - -
2.229 2.199 2.189 2.171 2.149 2.124 2.111 2.086 2.06 2.039
14 14 14 62 1 14 64 64 661 11

√ IONIC STRENGTH
0.161 0.190 0.214 0.236 0.257 0.275 0.293 0.310 0.32 0.340
71 132 826 96 196 953 513 081 5807 808
Concentration 0.2
of KNO3
(mol/L)

The table above shows the tabulated necessary data for the graphs and the volume, time, ionic
strength, reaction rate, and concentration of the solution. In this part of the experiment the
measured reaction time and concentration of the aliquot were used to determine the rate constants

(k) of each reaction. Using this equation M =

Figure 1. Relationship between rate constant and Ionic strength

Figure 2. Relationship between the time and Ionic Strength –

The values are plotted as -log t vs. √ I . Similar with the figure 1 the relationship is also linear and
positive which means that as the ionic strength increases the time also increases thus saying that
the Time and ionic strength is directly proportional to each other. Just like in figure 1 A Bronsted
equation is also used in determining this relation: logk=¿is used where it was determined that the
1.018ZAZB of this log k vs. √ I is 1.026.

Figure 3. Rate vs. Ionic strength

The values are plotted as rate vs. Ionic strength where it is shown in Figure 3 that the graph
presents a linear and positive relationship between the ionic strength and the rate of reaction,
when the reaction rate increases the ionic strength of the solution also increases. Therefore, the
relationship of rate of reaction and Ionic strength is directly proportional to each other.

CONCLUSION

In this experiment it was observed that, as ionic strength increased, the time also increased, as
well as the rate constant, k for each reaction and the rate of reaction for each reaction; thus, the
graph of log k as a function of √ I is linear and positive which show the relationship between the
rate and ionic strength. The positive result of the slope of the graphs shows a positive
1.018ZAZB value, so the relationship between Ionic strength and rate of reaction is directly
proportional to each other. In iodide and persulfate reaction, increasing the ionic strength of the
solution causes the increase on the rate of the reaction. The addition of salt in the solution
increases in ionic strength which is directly proportional to the rate constant (k) of the reaction.
Lastly, The results of the activity follows principles of primary kinetic salt effect.

REFERENCES

1. Huffman, C. Reaction Rate vs.Ionic Strength. Western Carolina University.2015