Republic of the

NORTHERN ILOILO STATE

Philippines
College of Education
Bachelor of Science in Criminology

LABORATORY REPORT EXPERIMENT

"THE EFFECT OF IRON ON COPPER SULFATE SOLUTION: A LABORATORY STUDY OF
METAL DIPLACEMENT”

SUBMITTED BY:

MAYORMITA, RICKY MONTOYA

MALINAO, ROEY DELA FUENTE
MATUS, JENEL VARGAS
MENDOZA, MJ LEGASPI
MOLO, LEOMAR ESCOBERO
MORENO, SHAWN MICHAEL BIANA
NAVA, RICARDO III FERRARIS

2 - CHARLIE

SUBMITTED TO:
RUDY O. BENIOSA JR.
INSTRUCTOR

AdGE General
Chemistry
BACKGROUND:

Chemical reactions involving metal displacement are a key concept in understanding the
reactivity of metals and the formation of new substances through chemical processes. One of
the classic examples of a metal displacement reaction is the interaction between iron (Fe) and
copper sulfate (CuSO₄) solution. This reaction demonstrates the principles of redox reactions,
reactivity series, and single-replacement reactions. In this study, the effect of iron metal on
copper sulfate solution is explored to observe how iron, a more reactive metal, displaces
copper, a less reactive metal, from the solution. This experiment allows for the observation of
chemical changes, such as color changes and the deposition of metal, providing insight into the
fundamental principles of chemistry.

Chemical Reactions and Metal Displacement: A metal displacement reaction, also known as
a single-replacement reaction, occurs when a more reactive metal displaces a less reactive
metal from its compound. In the case of iron and copper sulfate, iron (Fe), being higher in the
reactivity series than copper (Cu), is able to replace copper ions (Cu²⁺) in copper sulfate. As a
result, iron sulfate (FeSO₄) is formed, and copper metal (Cu) is deposited. The balanced
chemical equation for this reaction is:
Fe(s)+CuSO4(aq)→FeSO4(aq)+Cu(s)Fe (s) + CuSO₄ (aq) \rightarrow FeSO₄ (aq) + Cu (s)Fe(s)
+CuSO4(aq)→FeSO4(aq)+Cu(s)
This equation illustrates how iron displaces copper ions, resulting in the formation of new
products. The reaction is a redox process, where iron undergoes oxidation (loses electrons),
and copper ions undergo reduction (gain electrons).

investigates the chemical reaction that occurs when iron is introduced to a copper sulfate
solution, where iron, being more reactive than copper, displaces copper ions from the solution,
resulting in a visible color change and the deposition of metallic copper onto the iron surface,
demonstrating a classic single displacement reaction in chemistry; the primary focus is to
observe and quantify this displacement process under controlled laboratory conditions.

SCI 103 Analytical Chemistry

GUIDE QUESTIONS:

1. WHAT TYPE OF CHEMICAL REACTION IS DEMONSTRATED IN THIS ACTIVITY?

BALANCED CHEMICAL EQUATION:
Fe(s) + CuSo4(aq) -> FeSO4(aq)+ Cu(s)
ANSWER:
The type of chemical reaction demonstrated in this activity is a single-replacement
reaction (also known as a displacement reaction). In this reaction, iron (Fe) displaces
copper (Cu) from copper sulfate (CuSO₄), because iron is more reactive than copper.

2. WHICH ELEMENTIS OXIDIZED, AND WHICH IS REDUCED?

ANSWER:
Iron (Fe) is oxidized because it loses electrons. In this reaction, iron goes from an
oxidation state of 0 (in solid iron) to +2 (in iron(II) sulfate, FeSO₄). Copper (Cu) is
reduced because it gains electrons. Copper ions (Cu²⁺) in copper sulfate gain electrons
to form solid copper metal (Cu). So, iron is oxidized, and copper is reduced.

3. WHAT IS THE ROLE OF COPPER SULFATE IN THIS REACTION?

ANSWER:
In this reaction, copper sulfate (CuSO₄) plays the role of the reactant that provides the
copper ions (Cu²⁺) in the solution. Copper sulfate serves as a source of copper ions
that are displaced by the more reactive iron metal.

4. EXPLAIN WHY THE COLOR OF THE COPPER SULFATE SOLUTION CHANGES.

ANSWER:
The color of the copper sulfate solution changes because of the displacement reaction
between iron and copper sulfate. Before the reaction: The copper sulfate solution is
blue in color due to the presence of Cu²⁺ ions (copper ions) in the solution. These
copper ions give the solution its characteristic blue color.
During the reaction: When iron (Fe) is added to the solution, it displaces the copper
ions (Cu²⁺) because iron is more reactive. As the iron undergoes oxidation (loses
electrons) to form iron(II) sulfate (FeSO₄), the Cu²⁺ ions are reduced (gain electrons)
and are deposited as solid copper (Cu).
After the reaction: The copper ions are no longer present in the solution, and the color
of the solution changes from blue (due to Cu²⁺ ions) to green (due to the formation of
iron(II) sulfate, FeSO₄). The green color is a result of the new compound formed in the
solution, and the absence of copper ions causes the blue color to fade.
The color change occurs because the copper ions (Cu²⁺), which are responsible for the
blue color, are replaced by iron(II) sulfate, which has a greenish tint.

5. USING THE ACTIVITY SERIES OF METALS, EXPLAIN WHY IRON CAN DISPLACE
COPPER.

ANSWER:
Iron can displace copper from copper sulfate because iron is more reactive than copper.
This can be explained using the activity series of metals, which is a list that ranks metals
according to their ability to displace other metals from compounds.
In the activity series, metals are arranged in order of reactivity, with the most reactive
metals at the top. A more reactive metal will displace a less reactive metal from a
compound. Since iron is ranked higher than copper in the activity series, it means that
iron has a greater tendency to lose electrons (oxidize) and form positive ions compared
to copper.

SCI 103 Analytical Chemistry

 6. USING THE ACTIVITY SERIES OF METALS, EXPLAIN WHY IRON CAN DISPLACE
COPPER.

ANSWER:
Using the activity series of metals, iron can displace copper because iron is higher than
copper in the activity series, indicating that iron is more reactive than copper.
The activity series of metals is a list of metals arranged in order of their ability to lose
electrons (oxidize). The more reactive a metal is, the easier it can lose electrons and
participate in reactions. The higher a metal is on the list, the more likely it is to displace a
metal lower on the list from a compound.

7. PREDICT WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF A COPPER WIRE WAS PLACED IN AN IRON

SULFATE SOLUTION.

ANSWER:
If a copper wire were placed in an iron sulfate (FeSO₄) solution, no reaction would occur.
According to the activity series of metals, iron (Fe) is more reactive than copper (Cu). In
the case of iron sulfate (FeSO₄), the iron (Fe²⁺) ions are already in solution. Copper (Cu)
is less reactive than iron, so copper cannot displace iron from its compound (iron
sulfate). Since copper is less reactive, it does not have the ability to replace iron from the
solution, and no displacement reaction will occur. Thus, copper wire placed in an iron
sulfate solution would not undergo any chemical change because copper is less reactive
than iron and cannot displace iron from the solution. The solution would remain
unchanged, and the copper wire would stay intact.

CONCLUSION:

The experiment involving the reaction between iron and copper sulfate demonstrates key
concepts of metal displacement reactions and redox processes. When iron is placed in copper
sulfate solution, a single-replacement reaction occurs, in which iron displaces copper from its
compound. The reaction leads to the formation of iron sulfate (FeSO₄) and the deposition of
solid copper (Cu). The underlying principle governing this reaction is the activity series of
metals, which ranks metals based on their reactivity. Since iron is more reactive than copper, it
can displace copper ions (Cu²⁺) from the solution, resulting in a color change from blue (due to
copper ions) to green (due to the formation of iron(II) sulfate). Through this activity, we observe
that iron undergoes oxidation, losing electrons to form Fe²⁺ ions, while copper ions (Cu²⁺)
undergo reduction and gain electrons to form solid copper. The experiment provides a clear
illustration of the principles of oxidation-reduction and the reactivity series. Additionally, the
experiment highlights the importance of understanding metal reactivity in various industrial
processes, such as metal extraction, corrosion prevention, and galvanization.
In summary, this study emphasizes how iron can displace copper because of its higher reactivity
and demonstrates the oxidation-reduction nature of metal displacement reactions.

SCI 103 Analytical Chemistry

GENERALIZATION:

The experiment involving the reaction between iron and copper sulfate highlights the
fundamental principles of metal displacement reactions and the reactivity series of metals.
A more reactive metal, such as iron, can displace a less reactive metal, like copper, from its
compound. This occurs because iron is able to lose electrons more easily, undergoing oxidation,
while copper ions gain electrons, undergoing reduction. The activity series helps predict which
metals can displace others in various reactions.
This reaction also exemplifies a redox process, where one element is oxidized (loses
electrons) and another is reduced (gains electrons). The color change in the solution (from blue
to green) further illustrates the transformation of ions into solid copper and iron sulfate.
In general, the principles observed in this experiment are crucial not only for understanding
basic chemical reactions but also for applying these concepts in real-world contexts such as
metal extraction, corrosion control, and industrial processes involving metal reactivity.

APPLICATION:

The findings from this experiment, where iron displaces copper from copper sulfate solution,
have several practical applications, particularly in industries and processes that involve metal
reactions and the principles of displacement and redox reactions: Metal Extraction and Refining:
The displacement reaction demonstrated in the experiment is similar to the processes used in
metal extraction from ores. For example, in the extraction of copper from its ores, a more
reactive metal like iron is used to displace copper from copper compounds, similar to the way
iron displaces copper from copper sulfate. This principle is also used in hydrometallurgical
processes to recover metals from solutions. Corrosion Protection and Galvanization:
Understanding metal displacement reactions is critical in corrosion prevention, especially in the
process of galvanization, where a more reactive metal (like zinc or iron) is used to coat less
reactive metals (like steel or copper) to prevent corrosion. The concept of more reactive metals
displacing less reactive metals helps design better protective coatings for infrastructure,
vehicles, and industrial equipment. Electroplating: The principles of oxidation and reduction
demonstrated by the reaction of iron and copper sulfate are fundamental in the process of
electroplating, where metals are coated onto surfaces to improve appearance or resistance to
wear and corrosion. For instance, copper can be electroplated onto iron or steel to create a
protective and decorative layer. Understanding how displacement works helps optimize these
plating techniques. Chemical Reactions in Environmental Science: In wastewater treatment and
environmental remediation, displacement reactions are sometimes used to remove metals from
polluted environments. The ability of a more reactive metal like iron to displace less reactive
metals from solution has potential applications in cleaning up heavy metal contamination in
water bodies, such as copper removal. Recycling and Material Recovery: The principles
demonstrated in the lab can be applied to metal recycling. The process of metal displacement
could be used to recover valuable metals like copper from industrial waste, ores, or old
electronic devices. Iron or other reactive metals can be used to extract or purify copper, making
the recycling process more efficient. Battery Technology: The knowledge gained from metal
displacement reactions can be applied to the development of batteries, especially in metal-
based rechargeable batteries. The displacement and movement of electrons are fundamental to
the way batteries operate, including redox reactions that involve metals like copper and iron in
various electrochemical cells. In summary, the laboratory study of iron's effect on copper sulfate
not only demonstrates basic chemical principles but also has wide-reaching applications in
industries related to metal extraction, corrosion protection, electroplating, environmental
science, recycling, and energy storage. Understanding these reactions is crucial for optimizing
processes in these fields, making them more efficient and cost-effective.

SCI 103 Analytical Chemistry

SCI 103 Analytical Chemistry