Chemical Kinetics

Chemical kinetics is the study of how reactions occur and what makes them proceed faster.

What can we do to speed up

a chemical reaction?

Adding Heat

Add alka seltzer tablets to cold and water and time how long it takes for the reaction to end,

Add a Catalyst

Add a couple of mL of hydrogen peroxide to a test tube.

Observe the absence of bubbles.

Observe the effect of adding MnO2.

Increasing Surface Area/Crushing

Watch the effect of increasing the surface area of Lycopodium powder.

Lycopodium annotinum, Michigan

The Effect of Surface Area on a Chemical Reaction

How might a powder explosion occur?

What sort of manufacturing processes might cause enough powder to form?

Washburn Mill as it appeared when the explosion occurred, Minneapolis, Minn., May 2, 1878.