The reactions of semicarbazide hydrochloride with aliphatic and alicyclic ketones were studied kinetically at 15, 25, 35 and 45℃ in 20% ethanol solution buffered at pH 2.9. The rate of cyclohexanone semicarbazone formation is 5.5 times as fast as that of cyclopentanone semicarbazone, while 3-pentanone semicarbazone is 4.7 times as slow as that of 2-pentanone, The activation energy of cyclohexanone, 2-pentanone, 2 hexanone, cyclopentanone, 4-methyl-2-pentanone and 3-pentanone semicarbazone formation are calculated 5.08, 7.52, 8.79, 9.59, 9.49, 11.59, respectively. It is concluded from the effect of ionic strength that the reaction is affected by not ion but neutral molecules being progressed hydrogen bond between oxygen atom of carbonyl group and hydrogen atom of acid-catalyst and concerted nucleophilic attack of free base on the carbonly compound. Dependence on pH of the rate of 2-pentanone semicarbozone formation is linear relationship below pH 4.60 and above pH 5.60. As a result of studing citric acid catalysis, second order constants increase linearly with citric acid concentration. As the catalyst concentration is varied from 0.025 to 0.10 mol/1 at pH 2.90, the rate constants increase 1.4 times, but slight increase is observed at pH 5.60. Conclusively, the rate-determining step is formation of tetrahedral interemediate below pH 4.65 and dehydration between pH 5.60 and pH 7.11. It is concluded that the formation reaction of cyclohexanone semicarbazone is faster than cyclopentanone semicarbazone due to the steric strain in the process of forming tetrahedral intermediate.