An experiment to aid the transition from secondary school chemistry to introductory chemical engineering in higher education is described. The phenomenon of chemiluminescence observed during the oxidation of luminol has been successfully employed to study the kinetics of the reaction. Using inexpensive light sensors the effects of temperature on rate of chemical reactions can easily be quantified through their associated kinetic parameters.
The experiment gives reproducible results and allows the measurement of the rate constants of the reaction and its order with respect to luminol at different temperatures in one three hour laboratory session. From these, the activation energy of the reaction can be determined. Experimental skill and supervisory requirements are minimal making the setup ideal for first year undergraduate or final stage secondary school students.