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The order of reactivity of copper, magnesium and zinc can be determined by the displacement reactions between these metals and solutions of their salts - Edexcel - GCSE Chemistry Combined Science - Question 5 - 2021 - Paper 1
Question 5
The order of reactivity of copper, magnesium and zinc can be determined by the displacement reactions between these metals and solutions of their salts. You are pro... show full transcript
Worked Solution & Example Answer:The order of reactivity of copper, magnesium and zinc can be determined by the displacement reactions between these metals and solutions of their salts - Edexcel - GCSE Chemistry Combined Science - Question 5 - 2021 - Paper 1
Step 1
Describe the experiments that can be done to determine the order of reactivity of these metals by displacement reactions.
Answer
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Preparation of Samples: Take samples of copper, magnesium, and zinc. Prepare solutions of copper sulfate, magnesium sulfate, and zinc sulfate in separate test tubes.
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Displacement Reaction Setup: Dip each metal sample into each corresponding metal salt solution. Observe if a displacement reaction occurs, which is indicated by a color change or the formation of a precipitate.
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Observation and Conclusion: Record the reactions observed:
- If magnesium displaces copper in copper sulfate, but copper does not displace magnesium in magnesium sulfate, this indicates magnesium is more reactive than copper.
- By comparing all reactions among the three metals, one can conclude their relative reactivity based on the number of successful displacements observed.
Step 2
Explain why aluminium cannot be extracted from its ore by heating with carbon but can be extracted by electrolysis.
Answer
Aluminium cannot be extracted from its ore by heating with carbon because aluminium is more reactive than carbon. In a high-temperature reaction, carbon would not reduce aluminium oxide effectively, as the resultant thermodynamic reaction would not be favorable.
Instead, aluminium is extracted through electrolysis, which is a more powerful method of reduction. In this process, aluminium ions are reduced at the cathode, allowing for efficient extraction of pure aluminium from its oxide.