TEACHING LABORATORY
Chemical Reactions
VIRTUAL CHEMLAB
PERFORMANCE LABORATORY
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  CHEMICAL REACTIONS
 


Displacement of Metals from Solution

Displacement of Metals from Solution Explained

Before mixing
After mixing

Zinc metal contains zinc atoms vibrated in fixed positions in the metal lattice.

Copper(II) sulphate solution contains mainly copper(II) ions, sulphate ions and water molecules


Cu2+, SO42- , H2O
  1. Copper(II) ions collide with the zinc atoms. Each zinc atom transfers two electrons to a copper(II) ion to from copper metal which is deposited onto the zinc metal.

    Cu2+ (aq) + 2e-     ----->    Cu (s)

    The zinc atom becomes oxidised to zinc ions which moves out into the solution.
    Zn (s) ----->    Zn2+ (aq) + 2e-

    This is the ionic equation for the displacement reaction:

    Zn (s) + Cu2+ (aq)   ----->    Zn2+ (aq) + Cu (s)

  2. The sulphate ions remain as free, mobile ions in the solution. They are called spectator ions because they do not take part in the displacement reaction.The sulphate ions remain as free, mobile ions in the solution. They are called spectator ions because they do not take part in the displacement reaction

The following animation represents this displacement process. You should see the spectator ions moving about randomly during the process.

The only chemical change which occurs is the reduction of Cu2+ ions to Cu atoms and oxidation of Zn atoms to Zn2+ ions.

 

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