Question

What happens when a piece of iron metal is placed in copper sulphate solution? Name the type of reaction involved.

Answer 1

When a piece of iron metal (say, an iron nail) is placed in copper sulphate solution, then iron sulphate solution and copper metal are formed.

\[\ce{\underset{(Blue solution)}{\underset{Copper sulphate}{CuSO4_{(aq)}}} + \underset{(Grey)}{\underset{Iron}{Fe_{(s)}}} -> \underset{(Greenish solution)}{\underset{Iron sulphate}{FeSO4_{(aq)}}} + \underset{(Red brown)}{\underset{Copper}{Cu_{(s)}}}}\]

A displacement reaction occurs because iron is more reactive than copper.