Meets AP® Chemistry topic 12. In this quantitative experiment, students study the bleach oxidation of food dyes. They monitor the color change of dye solutions during oxidation and use the integrated rate law to determine the order of each reactant, the overall order of the reaction, and the reaction’s rate constant.

This experiment helps students understand the Beer-Lambert law and addresses the importance of ionic strength in chemical kinetics. It is also an excellent way for them to learn how to write rate law expressions, use graphical analysis to determine orders of reaction, and calculate rate constants.

Materials are sufficient for 32 students working in pairs. Materials needed, but not supplied, include a spectrophotometer or colorimeter.