This activity aims to develop students' understanding of the importance of experimental design in the context of a simple experiment on reaction rates. The model used represents a simple and effective way of monitoring the rate of the reaction of calcium carbonate with hydrochloric acid as an example.

This item teaches:

• the equation: rate of reaction = amount of reactant used or product formed / time
• about the detectable features of a chemical reaction
• about the use of graphs to determine rate of reaction
• about the control of variables that could affect the rate of reaction