“Exothermic,” Maya whispered, recording the temperature rise. The magnesium was even more reactive than zinc. It had ripped the copper from the solution with such force that it generated heat.
The more reactive metal (magnesium or zinc) acts as the displacer, while the less reactive metal (copper) is displaced. The reactivity series is not just a list—it is a hierarchy of chemical power.
Maya, the cautious one, read the steps aloud. “First, we label four test tubes. One is the control.”
“Don’t be a hero yet,” Lin warned, pouring 2 cm³ of the deep, sapphire-blue copper(II) sulphate solution into each tube. The liquid was beautiful, like a piece of the ocean trapped in glass.
The experiment was simple, yet dangerous to a careless hand. Procedure 5.1: Investigate the reaction of metals with the salt solution of another metal.
The reaction was instant and violent. The magnesium hissed like an angry cat. The blue solution boiled around the metal, turning pale within seconds. But unlike the zinc, the magnesium didn’t just produce a dusting of copper. It became coated in a hot, fizzing blanket of reddish-brown powder. The test tube grew warm to the touch.
Lin dropped a small piece of copper wire into the blue liquid. They waited. One minute. Two. The copper sat at the bottom like a sleeping snake. The blue remained blue.
“Exothermic,” Maya whispered, recording the temperature rise. The magnesium was even more reactive than zinc. It had ripped the copper from the solution with such force that it generated heat.
The more reactive metal (magnesium or zinc) acts as the displacer, while the less reactive metal (copper) is displaced. The reactivity series is not just a list—it is a hierarchy of chemical power. chemistry form 4 experiment 5.1
Maya, the cautious one, read the steps aloud. “First, we label four test tubes. One is the control.” The more reactive metal (magnesium or zinc) acts
“Don’t be a hero yet,” Lin warned, pouring 2 cm³ of the deep, sapphire-blue copper(II) sulphate solution into each tube. The liquid was beautiful, like a piece of the ocean trapped in glass. “First, we label four test tubes
The experiment was simple, yet dangerous to a careless hand. Procedure 5.1: Investigate the reaction of metals with the salt solution of another metal.
The reaction was instant and violent. The magnesium hissed like an angry cat. The blue solution boiled around the metal, turning pale within seconds. But unlike the zinc, the magnesium didn’t just produce a dusting of copper. It became coated in a hot, fizzing blanket of reddish-brown powder. The test tube grew warm to the touch.
Lin dropped a small piece of copper wire into the blue liquid. They waited. One minute. Two. The copper sat at the bottom like a sleeping snake. The blue remained blue.