Lab #6 

Date: 22/03/2021

Problem Statement:
 During a class discussion, two students, Tiffany and Melanie disagreed on the
reducing abilities of Magnesium, Copper and Zinc. As the teacher, plan and design
an experiment that would settle the disagreement and confirm the reducing abilities
of each metal. 

Title: Reducing abilities of Magnesium, Copper and Zinc Plan and Design  

Hypothesis: Magnesium metal will have the highest reducing ability compared to
the other two metals, copper and zinc.

Aim: to determine the reducing abilities of three metals, Magnesium, Copper and
Zinc.

Apparatus: measuring cylinder, 3 test tubes , stopwatch, white tile.

Materials: CuSO4 (copper sulfate solution), ZnSO4 (zinc sulfate solution),

magnesium ribbon, zinc metal strip.

Theory:
Displacement reactions involve a metal and a compound of a different metal.
Displacement reactions are easily seen when a salt of the less reactive metal is in
the solution. During the reaction, the more reactive metal gradually disappears as it
forms a solution while the less reactive metal coats the surface of the more reactive
metal. During these reactions, the metal which has a stronger reducing ability, i.e,
the ability to reduce another substance, is the metal which displaces the other metal
involved in the reaction (with the weaker reducing ability). The stronger the
reducing ability, the more reactive the metal is. Therefore, in displacement
reactions, a more reactive metal will displace a less reactive metal from its
compound. The more reactive metal/ the metal with the stronger reducing ability is
oxidized while the less reactive metal/ the metal with the weaker reducing ability is
reduced. This is therefore, known as a redox or an oxidation-reduction reaction.
This is shown in the equation below:

X(s) + YSO4(aq)  XSO4(aq) + Y(s)

(X is the more reactive metal and displaces Y in its compound)
The half equations for the reaction is as follows:

X(s)  X2+ + 2e- (oxidation reaction)

Y2+ + 2e-  Y(s) (reduction reaction)

The order in reactivity or reducing abilities of these metals can be determined by

comparing the way in which they react with certain compounds. The order in
which Magnesium, Zinc and Copper are placed in the ‘Reactivity series of Metals’
table can be deduced by comparing the way each metal reacts with different
chemical compounds also containing metals .The Electrochemical series/ The
Reactivity series of metals shows the order of metals beginning with most reactive
to less reactive.

Procedure:
1. Label 2 test tubes as ‘Mg’ and ‘Zn’.
2. Measure and place 5cm3 of CuSO4 solution into the 2 test tubes.
3. Place a strip of magnesium metal into the test tube labeled ‘Mg’ while
simultaneously, placing a strip of zinc metal into the test tube labeled ‘Zn’.
Leave each sample to sit for 15 minutes.
4. Observe and record all changes taking place.
5. Label a third test tube as ‘ZnSO4’
6. Measure and place 5cm3 of ZnSO4 solution into the test tube.
7. Place a strip of magnesium ribbon into the solution and leave for 15 minutes.
8. Observe and record all changes seen

Variables:

Controlled:
1. Volume of CuSO4 and ZnSO4 used.

Manipulated:
1. Solutions used. (both CuSO4 and ZnSO4)
2. Metal used in solution.(Zn and Mg)

Responding:
1. Colour of solutions.
2. Type of metal coating formed.
Diagram:
Diagram showing the setup of apparatus used for the experiment.
Results:
Table showing the observations made for each reaction which took place.

Experiment Observations

Magnesium ribbon and CuSO4 solution

Mg(s) + CuSO4(aq) MgSO4(aq) + Cu(s)

Zinc metal strip and CuSO4 solution

Zn(s) + CuSO4(aq) ZnSO4(aq) + Cu(s)

Magnesium ribbon in ZnCO4 solution.

Mg(s) + ZnSO4(aq) MgSO4(aq) + Zn(s)

Treatment of Results:

If the metal magnesium, displaces and reduces both copper and zinc metal in all
tests conducted during experiment, this indicates that magnesium has the highest
reducing ability out of all three metals. Therefore, the hypothesis is proven to be
true, and is accepted.

If the metal magnesium, does not displace and reduce both copper and zinc metal
in the tests conducted during experiment, this indicates that magnesium does not
have the highest reducing ability out of all three metals. Therefore, the hypothesis
is proven to be false, and is rejected.

Discussion:

This lab was executed, to make experimental deductions about the reducing ability
of three given metals, magnesium, zinc and copper by investigating their redox
reactions. A substance which is able to reduce another substance is known as a
reducing agent, and is therefore, oxidized, i.e, it forms positive ions more easily.
Hence, we can also say that the metal in this experiment which has the highest
reducing ability, is also the easiest substance to become oxidized. The addition of
these metals in their natural states, were added to solutions also containing metals.
During these displacement reactions, where one substance displaces another, the
more reactive metal with the higher reducing ability displaces the less reactive
metal with the lower reducing ability. Certain deductions could have been made by
observing and analyzing the colour changes and solid metal coatings seen.

In the reaction involving the magnesium ribbon being added to the blue Cu(SO4)
(copper sulfate) solution, a reaction immediately began forming. A reddish-brown
copper solid began to coat the surface of the magnesium ribbon, while the blue
coloured solution faded to a lighter blue and eventually to a colourless solution of
magnesium sulfate. A redox reaction formed, and the copper metal was reduced by
the magnesium metal from blue Cu 2+ ions to colourless Cu (s), while the
magnesium metal was oxidized by the copper sulfate, from Mg(s) to Mg2+. The
reducing agent present in the reaction is Magnesium metal and the oxidizing agent
is copper sulfate.
The equation for the reaction is as follows:

Mg(s) + CuSO4(aq) MgSO4(aq) + Cu(s)

The half equations for this reaction is shown below:

Cu 2+ + 2e-  Cu(s) (REDUCITON)

Mg(s)  Mg2+(aq) + 2e– (OXIDATION)

In this reaction, it was seen that the magnesium metal displaces and pushes out the
copper metal present in the solution while the copper metal coats the magnesium
strip. Because magnesium was able to reduce copper, this indicates that
magnesium is more reactive than copper and is more easily oxidized, and hence,
has a greater reducing ability.

In the second reaction between zinc metal being added to the blue copper sulfate
solution, the reaction began forming immediately. The zinc metal strip became
coated with a dark copper solid while the blue copper sulfate solution turned to a
lighter blue and then eventually to a colourless solution of zinc sulfate. An
oxidation- reduction reaction took place and the zinc metal was oxidized from Zn(s)
to Zn2+ ions while the copper metal was reduced from blue Cu 2+ ions to colourless
Cu (s). The reducing agent present in the reaction is zinc metal and the oxidizing
agent is copper sulfate.
The equation for this reaction is as follows:

Zn(s) + CuSO4(aq) ZnSO4(aq) + Cu(s)

The half equations for this reaction are shown below:

Zn(s)  Zn2+ + 2e- (OXIDIZATION)

Cu 2+ + 2e-  Cu(s) (REDUCTION)

In this experiment, it can be seen that the zinc metal displaces and pushes out the
copper metal present in the solution, while the copper metal coats the magnesium
strip. Because zinc was able to reduce copper ,this indicates that the zinc metal is
more reactive and is more easily oxidized than copper and therefore has a higher
reducing ability.

During the first two experiments conducted, it was found that both magnesium and
zinc are more reactive and has a higher reducing ability than copper. However, the
higher reducing ability between the zinc and magnesium metal is still yet to be
determined. Therefore, a third experiment was conducted which involved the
addition of a solid magnesium ribbon being placed into a colourless solution of
Zinc sulfate. This reaction does not happen as quickly as the two previous
experiments, but the reaction is still very observable. The magnesium ribbon strip
became coated with a brown coloured solid, zinc metal, while the magnesium
sulfate solution formed, remained colourless. A redox reaction occurred and the
magnesium metal was oxidized from Mg(s) to Mg2+, while the zinc metal was
reduced from Zn2+ to Zn(s). The reducing agent present in the reaction is magnesium
metal and the oxidizing agent is zinc sulfate.

The equation for the reaction is as follows:

Mg(s) + ZnSO4(aq) MgSO4(aq) + Zn(s)

The half equations for this reaction is shown below:

Mg(s)  Mg2+(aq) + 2e– (OXIDATION)

Zn2+ + 2e-  Zn(s) (REDUCTION)

In this experiment, it can be seen that the magnesium ribbon displaces and pushes
out the zinc metal present in the solution, while the zinc metal coats the
magnesium strip. Because the magnesium metal reduces the zinc metal, this
indicates that the magnesium metal is more reactive and is more easily oxidized
than zinc, and therefore, has a higher reducing ability.

Therefore:
In experiment 1: Magnesium displaces copper
In experiment 2: Zinc displaces copper
In experiment 3: Magnesium displaces zinc.

Precautions:
1. Wash all apparatus before and after executing the experiment, to avoid cross
contamination.
2. Label each test tube respectively, to avoid any mixing up of test tubes.
3. Use white tile to properly observe colour changes.

Sources of Error/ Limitations:

1. Parallax error may occur if measurements are not taken at eye level.
2. Stopwatch may be started either too early or too late which may cause some
metals to be in solution, longer or shorter periods of time than others.
3. Colour changes in solution may be subjective, and different inferences about
results can be made.

Assumptions:
1. Solutions used (CuSO4 and ZnSO4), contained no impurities.

Reflection:

Displacement reactions of metals is an important process which is used in many

industries for purposes such as: making molten iron and making steel. Some
process which involves the displacement of metals are: Thermite Welding, metal
extraction and steel making.
For example:
In the process of thermite welding, A mixture of Al and CuO is used for creating
electric joints between Cu and steel.

The equation is shown below:

2Al+3CuO→3Cu+Al2O3

The Al replaces Cu in the CuO.

The displacement of metals can also be observed in the human body through the
process of acid indigestion. This is done by drinking a solution of sodium
hydrogen carbonate(present in sodas) when the stomach produces too much HCl.
The H in the HCl displaces the Na in the NaHCO3 to produce H2CO3.