Question 3 Paper 3 Chemistry SPM 2010

ChemSpm2010P3Q3 from sweemoi khor

Actually, the question is quite direct. There are many possible experiment plan. In fact, in student's textbook, students were asked to plan an experiment to study whether copper (II) sulphate affect the rate of reaction between zinc and sulphuric acid too.

Some useful guides when attempting this question:

1. Give an example of acid & metal.
2. How does metal react with acid? What is produced?
3. How to do measure rate of reaction in an experiment? Hint: Rate of reaction is measured based on observable changes of quantity of reactant/product over a period of time. 
4. What are the required information/data to compare the effect of catalyst on the rate of reaction?
5. Try to imagine the materials & apparatus required.
6. Draw diagram to show the set-up of apparatus for the experiment.
7. Think of the steps to set-up the apparatus till recording data required.
8. Write down your plan.
9. Recheck your plan. Especially for materials, apparatus & procedure & tabulation of data. Students do forget some important point.

Similar question was appeared in SPM 2005, click here. The candidates are asked to plan an experiment to study the effect of concentration on the rate of reaction between a named metal & a named acid. My students get confused when they looked at the question. The first idea popped out from the head was reaction between sodium thiosulphate & sulphuric acid which in fact a wrong plan.