Question

What will happen if a strip of zinc is immersed in a solution of copper sulphate?

Answer 1

When a strip of zinc metal is placed in a copper sulphate solution, zinc sulphate solution and copper are formed.

\[\ce{\underset{(Blue solution)}{\underset{Copper sulphate}{CuSO4_{(aq)}}} + \underset{(Silvery white)}{\underset{Zinc}{Zn_{(s)}}} -> \underset{(Colourless solution)}{\underset{Zinc sulphate}{ZnSO4_{(aq)}}} + \underset{(Red-brown)}{\underset{Copper}{Cu_{(s)}}}}\]

In this reaction, zinc displaces copper from copper sulphate, liberating copper. The blue colour of copper sulphate solution diminishes due to the production of colourless zinc sulphate. A red-brown deposit of copper metal forms on the zinc strip. This displacement reaction occurs because zinc is more reactive than copper.