Kinetic Theory in Action

(From Addison-Wesley, Chapter 10)

Objectives:

1. To observe color changes in the chemical reactions of gases.

2. To interpret the color changes in terms of kinetic theory.
3. To interpret the color changes in terms of neutralization.

Safety:

Wear safety glasses and follow the standard safety procedures.

Materials:

Plastic Petri Dish Paper

Cotton Swab Micropipettes

Chemicals: exp. 1 exp. 2 exp. 3

BTB BTB KI
HCl NaOH NaNO2
NaHSO3 NH4Cl HCl

Procedure:

Part I
1. Put on your safety glasses and gather your materials.
2. Place the Petri dish on the piece of paper, somewhere near the center. Then add
small drops of BTB (bromothymol blue) in the pattern shown by the small circles in
figure 1. Be sure the drops don’t touch one another.

Figure 1
3. Mix one drop each of HCl and NaHSO3 in center of the pattern.
4. Put the lid on the Petri dish and observe what happens.
5. Do not clean up yet. Set the dish aside while you answer the analysis questions.
You’ll use the dish later.

Analysis: Part 1

1. Describe in detail the changes you observed in the drops of BTB over time. Draw
pictures to illustrate the changes.

2. Draw a series of pictures showing how one of the BTB drops might look over time
if you were viewing the drop from the side.

3. The BTB (an acid/base indicator) changed even though you added nothing to it. If
the mixture in the center circle produced a gas, would this explain the change in the
drops of BTB? Use the kinetic theory plus any additional chemistry knowledge you
have to explain your answer.

4. Write a balanced equation for the reaction that took place in the center of the Petri
dish. (Hint: one of the products was sulfur dioxide gas).

Part II

1. Move your Petri dish back to the center of attention and carefully absorb the center
mixture of the experiment with a cotton swab. Be sure to soak all of it up with the
cotton.

2. Replace the center mixture with one drop each of NaOH and NH4Cl. Replace the lid
and observe the changes.

Analysis: Part II

1. Describe what happens and explain it in terms of kinetic theory and any additional
chemistry knowledge you have.

2. Write a balanced equation for the reaction that took place in the center of the Petri
dish. (Hint: one of the products was ammonia gas)
Part III:

1. Wipe out your dish, rinse and dry.

2. Repeat part I of the experiment only use KI in place of BTB.

3. The center mixture should be NaNO2 and HCl.

Analysis: Part III

1. Describe what happens in the reaction and explain it in terms of kinetic theory.

2. Write a balanced equation for the following reaction:

Sodium nitrite(aq) + hydrochloric acid (aq)  nitrogen monoxide (g) + sodium nitrate (aq) +
sodium chloride (aq) + water (l)

Teacher notes:

From Addison Wesley Chemistry 2002, Chapter 10

Last year my GT class did Kinetic Theory right before the Christmas holidays. We did part I only on
the first day back as a review activity. It was great. With my PreAP kids we did parts I and II as a
review before the test. They really enjoyed it.

My teacher edition disappeared this year along with all the concentrations, which is why they’re not
included. I will have them for you on the day of the workshop.

Amiee Modic
Katy High School
amieemodic@katyisd.org