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PROCEDURE:

1. 5cm3 of Copper (II) sulphate was poured into three test tubes.
2. 5cm3 of zinc sulphate was poured into four other test tubes.
3. 5cm3 of iron (III) sulphate was poured into four test tubes as well.
4. A piece of iron, copper, and zinc were placed into a test tube of each solution.
5. The test tube was then gently shook and observed to see if displacement occurred. (If
the metal displaced it would be able to be seen dropping of the metal in the solution).
6. If displacement occurred, the test tube was checked to see if the temperature had
increased.
7. The color of the copper sulphate solution was observed for about 30 minutes. Any
physical changes were recorded into a table.
8. Where no reaction occurred, a cross was out in the spot.
9. Using the information from the table three reactive metals were arranged from top to
least.

OBSERVATION/RESULTS:

It was observed that a piece of iron was added to the copper (II) sulphate, the color of iron
change to pink and the blue of copper (II) sulphate faded. When a piece of zinc was added to the
copper (II) sulphate, the color of zinc changed to red and the blue of copper (II) sulphate faded.
Moreover, while when copper was added no reaction took place because it was the same metal.
Additionally when a piece of iron was added to zinc sulphate, the color of iron became brown.
When zinc was added, no reaction took place because it was the same metal. When copper was
added to zinc sulphate, no change was observed because copper is less reactive. Furthermore,
when iron was added to Iron (III) sulphate, no reaction took place because it was the same metal.
When zinc was added to zinc (III) sulphate, the zinc turned into a silver color and the iron (III)
sulphate turned into a lighter color. While when copper was added no change was observed
because it is less reactive.

FOR TEACHERS ONLY

SKILLS ASSESSED M/M ORR A/I P/D
MARK OBTAINED
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DISCUSSION:

Metals react when they lose electrons so the ease with which a metal loses its outer electrons
to form a cations will determine its reactivity . The more reactive metals will form cations
more easily than the less reactive metals. The ease with which metal atoms lose their outer
electrons is dependent on two factors: the nuclear charge and the size of the atom radius. A metal
loses electrons easily when the nuclear charge (charge of nucleus) is small and the radius of the
atom is very large. Because the electrostatic force holding the electron is smallest in those
conditions. Additionally, to lesser extent, the fewer the number of electrons that need to be lost
will increase the chance of a metal forming a cation with ease. The metal that appears above
hydrogen in the reactivity series will displace hydrogen from a solution of dilute acid and very
reactive ones (the metal even higher in the list) will even displace hydrogen from water. The
reactions of the very reactive metal with water (and dilute acid) are violent and dangerous
because they generate enough heat to ignite the hydrogen formed and this can lead to an
explosion. A single displacement reaction is a type of chemical reaction where an element
displaces another in a compound. Chemical reactivity of metals is linked with their relative
positions in the activity series .Certain metals have the capacity to displace some metals from the
aqueous solutions of their salts. A metal placed higher in the activity series can displace the
metal that occupies a lower position from the aqueous solution of its salt.

chemical Reaction

Copper (II) sulphate

 2Fe(s)+ 3CuSO4(l) Fe2(SO4)3(aq) +3Cu

 Zn(s)+ CuSO4(l) ZnSO4(aq) +Cu

Zinc sulphate

 Zn + FeSo4 → ZnSo4 + Fe

Iron (III) sulphate

 3Zn(s) + Fe2(SO4)3(l) ZnSO4(aq) + 2Fe(s)

FOR TEACHERS ONLY

SKILLS ASSESSED M/M ORR A/I P/D
MARK OBTAINED
YY MM DD

CONCLUSION:

It can be concluded that zinc displaced two metals, iron displaced one, and copper did not
displace any of the metal. This was because of the chemical reactivity series: copper, iron, and
zinc. Hence copper is less restive than zinc and iron so it cannot displace them.

REFLECTION:

The reactivity series allows us to predict how metals will react .A more reactive metal will
displace a less reactive metal from a compound. Rusting is an oxidation reaction. In a reactivity
series, the most reactive metal elements are placed at the top and the least reactive element at the
bottom. More reactive metals have a greater tendency to lose electrons and from positive ions.
The metals higher in the reactivity series have a greater reducing power. they lose or donate
their outer electrons easily ; therefore , it is easier for these metals to donate electrons to the
ions of the metals that occur lower in the reactivity series . Displacement reaction is a chemical
reaction in which a more reactive element displaces a less reactive element from its compound.
Both metals take part in displacement reaction.

FOR TEACHERS ONLY

SKILLS ASSESSED M/M ORR A/I P/D
MARK OBTAINED