IntroductionThe purpose of this experiment is to gain an understanding of the factors that influence the rate of reactions. Several experiments will be conducted using various combinations of concentrations of the reagent (hydrogen peroxide) and a catalyst (potassium iodide), as well as a coupling in which the temperature change is the only variable. The data collected will be used to determine the rate law, rate constant, and activation energy for each of the reactions. Hydrogen peroxide (H_2 O_2) naturally decomposes into water (H_2 O) and oxygen gas (O_(2 )) according to the following equilibrium equation.2 H_2 O_2 (aq) ↔ 2 H_2 O (l)+O_(2 ) (g)Normally this reaction takes a long period of time, but the rate of the reaction can be increased with the addition of a catalyst, which reduces the activation energy needed for a reaction to begin, but is not consumed in the reaction. Potassium iodide (KI) will be used in this experiment:2H_2 O_2 (aq) □( □(↔┴KI )) 2 H_2 O (l)+O_(2 ) (g)The reaction is not expected to occur at a significant speed until the catalyst is added. The rate of a reaction can be expressed as the change in concentration of reactants or products divided by the change over time and will decrease as the reaction proceeds (Chang 558). speed= -1/2 (∆ [H_2 O_2])/(∆ t)= 1/2 (∆ [H_2 O])/(∆ t)= (∆ [O_2])/(∆ t)The speed of a reaction is proportional to the concentration of the reactant, and the value of this ratio (called the rate constant, k) remains the same throughout the reaction, regardless of concentration. Only a change in temperature will change the rate constant for a given reaction. It is hypothesized that an increase in temperature will result in an increase in the value of...... half of the paper ......f only H2O2 without the catalyst as a negative control could have provided concrete data for comparison in the reaction rate , supporting the hypothesis that the catalyst would initiate the reaction. Conclusion In completing this experiment I gained a better working understanding of the effects of temperature, concentration, and catalysts on reaction rates. A solid understanding of how catalysts work, especially in biological systems like enzymes, will serve me well when I am a medical assistant. Chemical reactions occur all around us; understanding how they occur and how they can be manipulated will benefit you in many ways, from maintaining safe pool water, to making sauce, to coloring your hair... a better understanding will lead to success. Works Cited Chang, Raymond. Chemistry. Boston: McGraw-Hill Higher Education Publishing, 2009.