Experiment

OxidatiOn-ReductiOn activity SeRieS

Oxidation-Reduction Activity Series

Peter Jeschofnig, Ph.D.
Version 42-0186-00-01

Lab RepoRt assistant

This document is not meant to be a substitute for a formal laboratory report. The Lab Report
Assistant is simply a summary of the experiments questions, diagrams if needed, and data tables
that should be addressed in a formal lab report. The intent is to facilitate students writing of lab
reports by providing this information in an editable file which can be sent to an instructor.

Data Table: Oxidation-Reduction

Reactions
Mg in Na2SO4
Zn in MgSO4
Pb in Zn(NO3)2
Pb in FeCl3
Fe in CuSO4

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Experiment

OxidatiOn-ReductiOn activity SeRieS

Questions
A. Based on your observations make an activity series of the metals used. List them in such a
way that the most active metal is on the left and the least active metal is on the right. Remember,
sodium and copper are metals, too.

B. Suppose you inserted a piece of copper into a solution of nickel chloride and observed no
reaction. Then if you inserted a piece of iron into the solution of nickel chloride a nickel deposit
formed on the bottom of the well in the well plate. Where does nickel fit into your activity series?
The chemical reactions for the preceding question B are:
Cu (s) + NiCl2 (aq) no reaction
Fe (s) + NiCl2 (aq) 2 Ni (s) + Fe Cl2 (aq)

C. Suppose you inserted a piece of an unknown metal into a solution of zinc (II) nitrate and
observed no reaction. Then if you inserted the unknown piece of the metal into the solution of
iron (III) chloride a deposit formed on the bottom of the well in the well plate. Where does the
unknown metal fit into your activity series?

For the reaction (Fe (s) + NiCl2 (aq) 2 Ni (s) + Fe Cl2 (aq) identify:
1. The oxidation number of Ni (s)

2. The oxidation number of Fe in the FeCl2 (aq)

3. The oxidation number of Cl in the FeCl2 (aq)

4. The oxidation number of Fe (s)

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Experiment

OxidatiOn-ReductiOn activity SeRieS

5. The oxidation number of Ni in the NiCl2 (aq)

6. The oxidation number of Cl in the NiCl2 (aq)

7. The element that is oxidized and the element that is reduced

8. The oxidizing agent and the reducing agent

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