Experiment-3
Metals and their properties
Aim
a) To observe the action of Zn, Fe, Cu and Al metals on the following salt solutions:
ZnSO4 (aq), FeSO4 (aq), CuSO4 (aq), Al2(SO4)3 (aq)
b) To arrange Zn, Fe, Cu and Al metals in the decreasing order of reactivity based on the
above results.
Apparatus and chemical:
Aluminium foil, copper turnings, zinc granules, iron filings, ferrous sulphate solution, copper
sulphate solution, zinc sulphate solution, aluminium sulphate solution, test tubes, test tube
stand and four beakers of 50 ml.
Procedure:
• Select four 100ml beakers and label them as zinc sulphate, copper sulphate,
aluminium sulphate and ferrous sulphate.
• Add 20ml of 1M solution of ZnSO4, CuSO4, Al2(SO4)3 and FeSO4 in the labeled beaker
respectively.
• Take a strip of cleaned zinc metal and cut it into small pieces of suitable size.
• Add two pieces into each beaker containing CuSO4, Al2(SO4)3 and FeSO4.
• Keep the beakers undisturbed for about 1 hour.
• After about an hour, note the change in colour of solutions, appearance of metal
surface or any other change.
• Repeat the similar procedure by adding-
• Copper strips to ZnSO4, Al2(SO4)3 and FeSO4 solutions.
• Aluminium strips to ZnSO4, CuSO4, and FeSO4 solutions.
• Iron strips to ZnSO4, CuSO4 and Al2(SO4)3 solutions.
Observations:
Salt solution Colour change of solution Appearance of Inference
Metal in which metal surface
added
Zinc CuSO4 Blue color of Changes Zn can displace Cu from
CuSO4 disappears and red- CuSO4 solution.
brown copper particles
settle down at the bottom Zn + CuSO4 ---> ZnSO4 +
of the beaker. Cu
Al2(SO4)3 Solution remains colorless. No change Zn cannot displace Al
from Al2(SO4)3 solution.
FeSO4 Green colour of ferrous Changes Zn can displace Fe from
sulphate disappears. Iron FeSO4 solution.
metal is settling down at Zn + FeSO4 ---> ZnSO4 +
the bottom of the beaker. Fe
Copper ZnSO4 Solution remains colorless. No change Cu cannot displace Zn
from ZnSO4 solution.
Al2(SO4)3 Solution remains colorless. No change Cu cannot displace Al
from Al2(SO4)3 solution.
FeSO4 Solution remains colorless. No change Cu cannot displace Fe
from FeSO4 solution.
Aluminium ZnSO4 Solution remains colorless. Changes Al can displace Zn from
Zinc metal is settling down ZnSO4 solution.
at the bottom of the 2Al + 3ZnSO4 ---> 3Zn +
beaker. Al2(SO4)3
CuSO4 Blue colour of Changes Al can displace Cu from
CuSO4 disappears. CuSO4 solution.
The brown colored 2Al + 3CuSO4 ---> 3Cu +
copper particles settle Al2(SO4)3
down at the bottom of the
beaker.
FeSO4 Green colour of Changes Al can displace Fe from
FeSO4 disappears. FeSO4 solution.
Iron metal is settling 2Al + 3FeSO4---> 3Fe +
down at the bottom of the Al2(SO4)3
beaker.
Iron ZnSO4 Solution remains colorless. No change Fe cannot displace Zn
from ZnSO4 solution.
CuSO4 Blue colour of Changes Fe can displace Cu from
CuSO4 changes to light CuSO4 solution.
green colored FeSO4.
Copper metal is formed in Fe+ CuSO4 ----> Cu
the beaker. + FeSO4
Al2(SO4)3 Solution remains colorless. No change Fe cannot displace Al
from Al2(SO4)3 solution.
Result:
1. The action of metals on respective salt solutions are given below:
o Al metal is able to displace Zn, Fe and Cu from their salt
solutions, therefore Al is most reactive.
o Zn metal is able to displace Fe and Cu from their salt solutions
therefore, Zn is more reactive than Fe and Cu.
o Fe metal is able to displace Cu from its salt solution, therefore Fe
is more reactive than copper.
o Cu is unable to displace any metal (among Al, Fe and Zn) from
their salt solutions, therefore Cu is least reactive.
2. The decreasing order of reactivity, based on the above results, follows the
order:
Al > Zn > Fe > Cu
Precautions:
1. Do not touch any chemical.
2. Label the beakers properly and put them in sequences. It is better to label the beakers
both with the chemical names and also by chemical symbols.
3. Till the reaction goes on, keep the beakers at a safe place. Cover them so that insects
or dust may not pollute the solutions.
4. It is very important that the apparatus you use must be very clean and dry.
5. Always clean the metallic strips before use with a sandpaper.
6. Use the same strips of metals of same size, weight and number.
