Catalysts in industry
4 marks · NormalYou want to test whether a black solid is a catalyst for the decomposition of hydrogen peroxide solution.
Describe how you would carry out the experiment to test if the black solid is a catalyst.
Explain how you would show that the black solid is unchanged after the reaction.
Work this out on paper, then compare with the answer and worked solution below. With a free account you can submit written answers for marking.
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(a) Add the black solid to hydrogen peroxide and measure rate of oxygen production. Compare to a control with no black solid. · must show compare with and without
(b) At the end, filter, dry and compare the black solid to the original. If it is the same, it is unchanged. · must show recover and compare
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Marking points
M1 (a) · 1 mark · Describes adding black solid to hydrogen peroxide and measuring oxygen produced/rate.
C1 (a) · 1 mark · Compares with a control (no black solid).
M2 (b) · 1 mark · Describes filtering and drying solid after reaction.
A1 (b) · 1 mark · States the recovered solid is unchanged (looks the same, same mass).
Worked solution
(a) Add the black solid to hydrogen peroxide solution and measure how fast oxygen gas is produced (for example, by collecting it over water). Set up a control experiment with no black solid. If the reaction is faster with the black solid, it may be a catalyst.
(b) After the reaction is finished, filter the mixture to recover the black solid. Dry and compare it to the original solid. If it looks the same and its mass is unchanged, the black solid is chemically unchanged, showing it acted as a catalyst.