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Chemistry · Chapter 7: Displacement reactions

Year 11 Science · About 12 minutes with activities · Turn your sound on

Chapter 7 · Displacement reactions
Zinc in copper sulfatewhat happened to the blue?
Electrons: Zn → Cu²⁺Cu²⁺ ions became red-brown copper atoms
Nucleus pulls electronspositive nucleus, negative electrons
Metal-in-solution labpick a strip, pick a solution, predict

Chapter 7 recap

  • Displacement reaction: a more reactive metal atom loses electrons to a less reactive metal ion. Always an element + an ion.
  • Activity series K, Na, Ca, Mg, Al, Zn, Fe, Pb, (H), Cu, Ag, Au: a metal reacts with the ion of a metal below it, which forms as a solid. Zn + CuSO₄: blue → colourless, red/brown Cu.
  • Pull on electrons: more reactive metal = weaker pull. The less reactive ion (stronger pull) takes the electrons: Zn → Zn²⁺, Cu²⁺ → Cu.
  • Next: Chapter 8 · Collision theory and rates

Why does a zinc strip turn copper-coloured in blue solution?

Chapter 7 · About 12 minutes · sound on

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