The effect of the random errors from this experiment might due to the inaccurate timing as the reflect time to stop the stopwatch when 30cm3 of carbon dioxide is collected in 100mL measuring cylinder is often various from time to time. Time may be longer or shorter than the actual time taken to collect 30cm3 of carbon dioxide. This will then lead to the wrongly calculation of the rate of reaction as the formula of the rate of reaction is:
Rate of reaction=1/(Time taken to collect 30.0cm³ of carbon dioxide (s)) Next, the sources of the random errors in this experiment are the variation in eye level when taking the readings of a measuring cylinder to collect 30cm³of carbon dioxide and the widely spaced graduation mark on a 100mL measuring
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Thus, the amount of the carbon dioxide collected in measuring cylinder will be affected, causing the rate of reaction to be altered. In addition, the source of the random errors in this experiment is the widely spaced graduation mark on the 100mL measuring cylinder, result in variation in the eye level to determine the amount of carbon dioxide released and the amount of diluted hydrochloric acid used which may lead to the rate of reaction changes irregularly as the time taken to collect 30cm³ of carbon dioxide is affected.
Equally important, the air movement in the room will also affect the rate of reaction as the air movement will affect the temperature, thus indirectly affect the rate of reaction. When magnesium carbonate reacts with hydrochloric acid, this is an exothermic reaction where heat will be release out and increases the rate of reaction. However, air movement in the room causes the advection of heat. With air movement, the temperature of the reactant mixture and the rate of the reaction are affected. Therefore, the time taken to collect 30cm³ of carbon dioxide is