If you submerge a silver teaspoon in copper sulfate solution, what reaction would you expect and why?
Cu is above Ag in the activity series; therefore, I would not expect a reaction.
CuSO4 + Ag ==> NR
http://www.files.chem.vt.edu/RVGS/ACT/notes/activity_series.html
When you submerge a silver teaspoon in copper sulfate solution, a reaction called a displacement reaction would occur. In this reaction, the more reactive metal, silver, would displace the less reactive metal, copper, from the copper sulfate solution. This happens because silver is higher in the reactivity series of metals compared to copper.
To understand this concept and predict the reaction, you can follow these steps:
1. Identify the equation: The reaction can be represented by the equation: Ag (silver) + CuSO4 (copper sulfate) -> AgSO4 (silver sulfate) + Cu (copper)
2. Understand the reactivity series: The reactivity series is a list of metals arranged in order of their reactivity. In this series, silver is placed above copper, indicating that silver is more reactive than copper.
3. Use the reactivity series to predict the reaction: Since silver is more reactive than copper, it will displace copper from the copper sulfate solution. Thus, silver will react with copper sulfate to form silver sulfate and release copper.
4. Determine the products: The products of the reaction are silver sulfate (AgSO4) and copper (Cu).
In summary, based on the reactivity series, when a silver teaspoon is submerged in copper sulfate solution, a displacement reaction occurs where silver displaces copper from the solution, resulting in the formation of silver sulfate and the release of copper.