Thread: Chemistry Equation

Your are given a piece of Zn and AL, and amounts of ZNSO4 and Al2(SO4)3 solutions. A. WHat combinations of these 4 substances would you make to illistrate that ZN is less reactive than AL? B. WHat would the equation be?

Originally Posted by totally-confused

Your are given a piece of Zn and AL, and amounts of ZNSO4 and Al2(SO4)3 solutions. A. WHat combinations of these 4 substances would you make to illistrate that ZN is less reactive than AL? B. WHat would the equation be?

I can't give you details, but my thought is that you take, for example, a solution of ZnSO4 and add Al to it. After a certain amount of time (I suspect that only seconds are required) test to see how much, if any, Al2(SO4)3 is present. Do a similar experiment with a solution of Al2(SO4)3 and the sample of Zn. By comparing the amounts of the two products you should be able to determine which metal is more reactive. (ie. If large amounts of Al2(SO4)3 are produced in the first reaction and little ZnSO4 is produced in the second we can state that Al is the more reactive metal.)

As far as the equation is concerned, say that Al is the more reactive metal. Then
2Al + 3ZnSO4 --> 3Zn + Al2(SO4)3

If Zn is more reactive then
3Zn + Al2(SO4)3 --> 2Al + 3ZnSO4 (which is the "back reaction" to the one above.)

-Dan