iron and copper sulphate experiment

• Chemistry Practicals
• CBSE Class 9 Chemistry Practical
• Class 9 Practical Experiment on Reaction of Iron With Copper Sulphate Solution in Water

Experiment on Reaction of Iron with Copper Sulphate Solution in Water

A physical change occurs when there is no change in the composition of a substance and no change in the chemical nature of the substance.

The interconversion of state occurs during physical change.

SOLID ⇄ LIQUID ⇄ GAS

A chemical change is a change that causes a change in the chemical properties of matter, resulting in the formation of a new substance. As an example, consider the burning of oil or fuel.

Heat is evolved or taken in, the formation of bubbles, gas, and fumes, as well as a change in the colour of the reactants, can take place when they form a product.

Reactants → Products

A + B → C (Chemical reaction)

Table of Contents

Materials required.

• Observation

Precautions

• Frequently Asked Questions – FAQs

To carry out the reaction between Copper sulphate solution and water and Classify it as physical change and chemical changes.

Iron nails, Copper Sulphate solution, Test Tube, Clamp Stand, Sandpaper.

The colour of pure iron is greyish. Pure copper is a reddish-brown metal. The presence of Cu2+ ions causes the aqueous C solution of copper sulphate to be blue. The presence of Fe2+ ions causes the aqueous solution of ferrous sulphate to be pale green.

Since iron is more reactive than copper, it removes copper from its salt solution.

2. Separate two test tubes and label them A and B. Add 10 mL of freshly prepared copper sulphate solution to each test tube and secure these test tubes in two separate clamp stands.

3. Thread the nail and hang it in test tube B. It is important to ensure that the iron nail is completely immersed in CuS0 4 solution. Tie the other end of the thread to the stand.

4. Keep the other iron nail on a piece of white paper.

5. Leave the setup alone for a while.

6. Take the nail out of the solution and place it along the side of the second iron nail on the sheet of paper.

7. Record your observations.

Observations

1. The brown coating on the iron nail indicates that copper is deposited on the iron nail as a result of iron displacement.

2. The colour of the blue colour copper sulphate solution changes to green.

3. The greenish colour of the solution in the test tube indicates the presence of Fe 2+ ions in the solution.

4. This is a single displacement reaction in which copper is displaced by iron from copper sulphate solution, resulting in the formation of a new compound, ferrous sulphate.

5. A chemical change occurs as a result of the reaction.

1. Clean iron nails by rubbing with sandpaper.

2. Copper sulphate solution is poisonous, so use caution when handling it.

3. The test tubes should not be touched or disturbed during the experiment.

4. After completing the experiment, the copper-coated iron nail should not be touched.

Frequently Asked Questions on Reaction of Iron with Copper Sulphate Solution in Water

What is the colour of copper sulphate solution.

The colour of the copper sulphate solution is blue.

Why are iron nails rubbed with sandpaper?

Iron nails are rubbed with sandpaper so as to remove any impurities present like rust, dust or greasy surface. Iron nails are rubbed with sandpaper so as to remove any impurities present like rust, dust or greasy surface.

Does the colour of the copper sulphate solution change?

Yes, the colour of the copper sulphate solution changes from blue to light greenish.

What does the greenish colour of the solution show?

The greenish colour of the solution shows that Fe 2+ Ions are present in the solution.

What does the brown coating on the iron nails show?

The brown coating in the iron nail shows that copper is deposited in it by displacing iron.

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Reaction between copper sulfate and iron

What can you see when iron reacts with copper sulfate?

Iron is an el­e­ment of the eighth group of the fourth pe­ri­od in the Pe­ri­od­ic Ta­ble. It is a mal­leable sil­very met­al with good elec­tro­con­duc­tiv­i­ty and pro­nounced mag­net­ic prop­er­ties. In na­ture iron is main­ly en­coun­tered in an ox­i­dized state – for ex­am­ple brown iron ore Fe₂O₃·3H₂O, red iron ore Fe₂O₃ (hematite), pyrite FeS₂, mag­net­ic iron ore Fe₃O₄.

Ob­tain­ing iron and its re­ac­tion with sim­ple sub­stances

Metal­lic iron is ob­tained in in­dus­try by re­duc­ing it from iron ox­ide with car­bon monox­ide CO:

• Ob­tain­ing car­bon (IV) ox­ide from coal:

C + O₂ = CO₂;

• Ob­tain­ing car­bon II ox­ide (re­duc­er for ob­tain­ing iron):

CO₂ + C = 2CO;

• Re­duc­tion of iron from iron ox­ide:

Fe₂O₃ + 3CO = 2Fe + 3CO₂.

Iron can also be ob­tained di­rect­ly by re­duc­ing it with hy­dro­gen at a tem­per­a­ture of 1000 ᵒC (1832 ᵒF):

Fe₂O₃ + 3H₂ = 2Fe + 3H₂O.

Chem­i­cal­ly pure iron is ob­tained by elec­trol­y­sis of the so­lu­tion of its salt:

K(-): 1) 2H₂O + 2e = H₂ + 2OH⁻;

• Fe²⁺ + 2e = Fe(0).

A(+): 2H₂O - 4e = O₂ + 4H⁺.

Sum­mar­i­ly:

Fe­S­O₄ + 2H₂O = Fe + H₂ + O₂ + H₂­SO₄.

With non-met­als , iron re­acts at high tem­per­a­tures:

3Fe + 2O₂ = Fe₃O₄ (a mix­ture of iron (II) and (III) ox­ides form);

Fe + S = FeS;

2Fe + 3Br₂ = 2FeBr₃.

Dozens of experiments you can do at home

One of the most exciting and ambitious home-chemistry educational projects The Royal Society of Chemistry

Reaction Between an Iron Nail and CuSO4 (aq)

To study the chemical reaction of an iron nail with an aqueous copper sulphate solution.

The aim of this experiment is to study the displacement reaction between iron and copper sulphate. The reaction between an iron nail and copper sulphate solution is an example of a single displacement reaction. Iron displaces copper ions from an aqueous solution of copper sulphate. In the reaction between an iron nail and copper sulphate solution, metallic iron is converted into ferrous ion (Fe 2+ ), and cupric ion (Cu 2+ ) is converted into metallic copper. 

                           Fe(s) + CuSO 4 (aq) ? FeSO 4 (aq) + Cu(s)

To perform this experiment, apparatus and materials are required: two test tubes, two iron nails, a test tube stand, a piece of sandpaper, copper sulphate, distilled water, and dilute sulphuric acid.

• The following procedure is conducted to perform this experiment.
• Take two iron nails and clean them with sandpaper.
• Take 20 mL of distilled water in a clean test tube and dissolve 1.0 g of copper sulphate in it. Add 2 or 3 drops of dil. sulphuric acid to it to check the hydrolysis of CuSO 4 in water. Label this test tube as ‘A’. 
• Transfer about 10 mL of copper sulphate solution from tube ‘A’ to another clean test tube. Label this test tube as ‘B’. 
• Tie one iron nail with a thread and immerse it carefully into the copper sulphate solution in test tube ‘A’ for about 15 minutes. Keep the other iron nail separately for comparison afterwards.
• After 15 minutes, take out the iron nail from the copper sulphate solution. 
• Compare the intensity of the blue colour of the copper sulphate solution before and after the experiment in tubes ‘A’ and ‘B’, and also compare the colour of the iron nail dipped in the copper sulphate solution with the one kept separately. Record your observations.

From this experiment, we hereby conclude that when an iron nail reacts with an aqueous copper sulphate solution, a single displacement reaction occurs, and ferrous sulphate is produced. The formed product, that is, ferrous sulphate, imparts a pale green colour to the solution. The copper metal, thus formed, gets deposited on the iron nail. 

FAQs on Iron Nail and CuSO4 (aq)

Q.1: what is the displacement reaction.

Answer: A displacement reaction is a chemical reaction in which a more reactive element displaces a less reactive element from its compound. For example: Mg + 2HCl ? MgCl 2 + H 2

Q.2: What is the difference between displacement and double displacement reaction?

Answer: A single displacement reaction is a chemical reaction in which a more reactive element replaces a less reactive element from a compound. A double displacement reaction is a chemical reaction in which two ionic species are exchanged between two molecules.

Q.3: What is the balanced equation for the reaction between iron and copper sulphate?

Answer: The balanced equation is: Fe(s) + CuSO 4 (aq) ? FeSO 4 (aq) + Cu(s)

Q.4: Which element is displaced by iron in the given reaction?

Fe(s) + CuSO 4 (aq) ? FeSO 4 (aq) + Cu(s) Answer: Copper is displaced by iron in the reaction.

Q5: What is the oxidation state of copper in CuSO 4 ?

Answer: The oxidation state of copper in CuSO 4 is +2.

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Previous Year Question Papers

Sample papers.

To perform the reaction of Iron nails kept in copper sulphate solution and classify it - Lab Work

To perform the reaction of iron nails kept in copper sulphate solution and classify it on combination reaction, decomposition reaction, displacement reaction and double displacement reaction.

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Iron and sulfur reaction

In association with Nuffield Foundation

This demonstration or class experiment shows the exothermic reaction of two elements, iron and  sulfur , to form the compound, iron sulfide . The two solids are mixed and heated in a test tube (or ignition tube). The reaction can be used to illustrate elements, mixtures and compounds

This reaction can be carried out as a demonstration or class experiment in a well ventilated   laboratory provided that the instructions provided here are strictly adhered to.

The reaction can be carried out in borosilicate glass test tubes as a demonstration or in smaller (ignition) tubes by students. The reaction provides an opportunity to show that the properties of a compound are different from its constituent elements.

The reaction must not be carried out on tin lids in the open laboratory as is suggested in some sources. The sulfur may boil or burn releasing sulfur dioxide which is a TOXIC and CORROSIVE gas and may trigger an asthmatic attack.

Build a lesson plan around this experiment

This experiment can be used as part of a lesson plan for 11–14 year olds, using particle models to describe the chemical change that occurs – see Reacting iron and sulfur to explore compounds .

• Eye protection
• Balance (1 or 2 decimal places)
• Test tube made from borosilicate glass ( eg Pyrex )
• Bunsen burner
• Heat resistant mat
• Clamp stand and clamp
• Spatulas x2
• Small bar magnet
• Watch glass
• Filter paper (2 peices or use 2 weighing boats)
• Mineral wool (or mineral fibre)
• Prepared ignition tube (note 1)
• Test tube tongs

Apparatus note

• Ignition tubes (75 mm x 10 mm test tubes) should be filled to no more than one quarter full with the iron– sulfur powder mix (see first step of the demonstration procedure). Using 0.2 g of the mixture is sufficient for the effect to be seen. Place a small plug of mineral wool in the mouth of each ignition tube. After the experiment, the iron(II) sulfide is low hazard and can be discarded into the refuse.
• Iron powder (potential IRRITANT)
• Sulfur – finely powdered roll or flowers

Health, safety and technical notes

• Read our standard health and safety guidance .
• Wear eye protection throughout and ensure that the lab is well ventilated.
• Iron powder, Fe(s), (potential IRRITANT) – this can cause severe irritation in eyes because the iron oxidises rapidly in the saline environment – see CLEAPSS Hazcard HC055a . Iron powder is preferred to iron filings. If fine sulfur powder is mixed with iron filings, it is difficult to obtain a consistent mix, because the two solids can separate.
• Sulfur, S(s) – see CLEAPSS Hazcard HC096a . Roll sulfur or flowers of sulfur should be finely powdered using a pestle and mortar.
• Sulfur dioxide, SO 2 (g), (TOXIC) is formed if the sulfur catches fire – see CLEAPSS Hazcard HC097 .

Demonstration

• Prepare a mixture containing iron powder and sulfur powder in the ratio 7:4 by mass. Do this by weighing out 7 g of iron powder and 4 g of finely powdered sulfur onto separate pieces of filter paper (or use weighing boats). Mix the two powders by pouring repeatedly from one piece of paper to the other until a homogeneous mixture (by appearance) is obtained.
• Note the appearance of the pure elements and the mixture. Demonstrate that iron can be separated from the mixture by physical means. Do this by wrapping the end of a small bar magnet in a paper tissue or cling film, and dipping it into a teaspoon sized heap of the mixture on a watch glass. The iron will be attracted, but the sulfur remains on the watch glass.
• Place about 2 g of the mixture into a borosilicate test tube.
• Insert a plug of mineral wool (mineral fibre) into the mouth of the test tube. Clamp the test tube as shown in the diagram.
• Heat the powder mixture at the base of the test tube – gently at first and then more strongly (use a blue flame throughout). Heat until an orange glow is seen inside the test tube. Immediately stop heating. Let the students see that the glow continues and moves steadily through the mixture.
• Allow the test tube to cool down. At this point the students could carry out their own small scale version of the reaction.
• Once cool, it is possible to break open the test tube to show the appearance of the product, iron(II) sulfide . The test tube can be broken open using a pestle and mortar. It is advisable to wear protective gloves.
• It may be possible to show that the product, iron(II) sulfide is non-magnetic. However, this is not always successful. It has been suggested that using a very weak magnet is advisable.

Source: RSC

  Class practical

• Students should be provided with pre-prepared ignition tubes containing the iron– sulfur mixture and a mineral wool plug.
• Using suitable tongs or test tube holders, the iron- sulfur mixture in the tube should be heated until it just starts to glow. Bunsen burners should then be turned off.
• The ignition tubes should be left to cool on the heat resistant mat. It may be sensible to get the students to place all their used ignition  tubes onto one heat resistant mat set aside for this purpose ( eg on the teacher’s desk or in a fume cupboard).

More resources

Add context and inspire your learners with our short career videos showing how chemistry is making a difference .

Teaching notes

On heating the reaction mixture, the sulfur melts and reacts with the iron exothermically to form iron( II ) sulfide . The mineral wool plug in the mouth of the test tube prevents sulfur vapour escaping and possibly catching fire. If, despite all precautions, the sulfur vapour does ignite, students must be trained to extinguish it by placing a damp rag firmly over the mouth of the tube.

The signs that a chemical reaction occurs are: the glow, and the fact that a new substance (black iron sulfide ) is formed which cannot be separated by using a magnet (see step 8 the demonstration  procedure).

This may be an opportunity to introduce or reinforce the ‘rule’ that if only two elements are combined together, the name of the compound ends in ‘ ide ’.

Exciting elements video containing the iron and sulfur reaction

The demonstration video for iron and sulfur reaction can be found at 7.20 minutes. It shows the exothermic reaction of two elements, iron and sulfur, to form the compound, iron sulfide. The two solids are mixed and heated in a test-tube (or ignition tube). The reaction can be used to illustrate elements, mixtures and compounds.

Additional information

This is a resource from the  Practical Chemistry project , developed by the Nuffield Foundation and the Royal Society of Chemistry.

Practical Chemistry activities accompany  Practical Physics  and  Practical Biology . 

© Nuffield Foundation and the Royal Society of Chemistry

• 11-14 years
• 14-16 years
• Practical experiments
• Demonstrations
• Compounds and mixtures
• Reactions and synthesis

Specification

• Compounds are formed from elements by chemical reactions.
• Chemical reactions always involve the formation of one or more new substances, and often involve a detectable energy change.
• (b) elements as substances made up of only one type of atom
• (c) compounds as substances made of two or more different types of atom that are chemically joined and having completely different properties to its constituent elements
• 1.1.13 recall that a compound is two or more elements chemically combined;
• 1.1.11 recall that a compound is two or more elements chemically combined;
• 2. Develop and use models to describe the nature of matter; demonstrate how they provide a simple way to to account for the conservation of mass, changes of state, physical change, chemical change, mixtures, and their separation.
• 4. Classify substances as elements, compounds, mixtures, metals, non-metals, solids, liquids, gases and solutions.

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STOICHIOMETRY: the Reaction of Iron with Copper (II) Sulfate

Lab #7 STOICHIOMETRY :

The Reaction of Iron with Copper (II) Sulfate

Introduction

In this experiment we will use stoichiometric principles to deduce the appropriate equation for the reaction between metallic iron and a solution of copper (II) sulfate. This reaction produces metallic copper, which is seen precipitating as a finely divided red powder. This type of reaction, in which one metal "displaces" another from a solution of one of its salts, is known as a single substitution reaction. A metal capable of displacing another from a solution of one of its salts is said to be "more active" than the displaced metal. In this experiment, iron is more active than copper.

Iron forms 2 types of ions , namely Fe+2 and Fe+3. We shall use stoichiometric principles to determine which of these ions is formed in the reaction between iron and copper (II) sulfate solution. If Fe+2 is formed, then equation (1) is correct, while equation (2) is correct if Fe+3 is formed. Your task is to find out which equation is consistent with the results of your experiment.

(1) Fe(s) + CuSO4 (aq) ! FeSO4 (aq) + Cu(s)

Fe(s) + Cu+2(aq) ! Fe+2(aq) + Cu(s)

(2) 2Fe(s) + 3CuSO4 (aq) ! Fe2(SO4)3 (aq) + 3Cu(s)

2Fe(s) + 3Cu+2(aq) ! 2Fe+3(aq) + 3Cu(s)

An excess of copper (II) sulfate solution (to make sure that all the iron is reacted) will be added to a known amount of iron. The metallic copper produced will be weighed. These weighings will be used to calculate the moles of iron used and the moles of copper formed. If equation (1) is correct, the moles of copper should equal the moles of iron. If equation (2) is correct, we should obtain 1.5 moles of copper per mole of iron. Lab #7 PROCEDURE

1. Only 2 trials have to be reported.

2. Perform the following procedure on two samples simultaneously.

3. Weigh a clean, dry 100 or 250 mL beaker.

4. Accurately weigh approximately 1.00 gram of iron powder into the beaker. Do not exceed 1.00 grams.

5. Measure 30 mL of 1.0 M CuSO4 solution into a graduated cylinder. Pour it into an Erlenmeyer flask, and heat gently to almost boiling.

6. Slowly add the hot CuSO4 solution to the beaker containing the iron powder. Be sure the addition is slow to avoid excess frothing and possible loss of material. It will help to avoid frothing if a wooden applicator stick is placed in the beaker before adding the hot CuSO4 solution. 7. Swirl the flask to insure completeness of reaction. When the reaction has ceased, allow the copper product to settle. Then carefully decant the liquid from the copper, (pour off the liquid and leave the solid behind). You may observe a thin copper colored sheen on the surface of the liquid which does not settle out. You may ignore this.

8. Add about 10 mL of distilled water to the solid copper and swirl to wash any remaining ions from the copper. 9. Decant the wash water from the copper and add 10 more mL of distilled water, swirl and decant again. 10. Now add several mL of acetone (CAUTION: Acetone is very flammable) to the copper. Swirl and allow to stand a few minutes and decant off the acetone. Repeat with a second portion of acetone. Disacrd the acetone in Organic Wastes. The acetone readily dissolves the water and removes it. The acetone is easily removed by gently heating or by using a stream of air since acetone has a low boiling point and readily evaporates. We will use gentle heat.

11. Heat the beaker with the copper product on low heat on a hot plate to evaporate the acetone. Carefully break up any clumps of copper with a spatula, if drying proves difficult. Be sure not to remove any copper from the beaker.

12. When the copper is dry, carefully dry the outside of the beaker and reweigh to find the mass of copper formed.

13. For each run, calculate the moles of iron used and the moles of copper formed. Deduce whether iron goes into solution as Fe+2 or Fe+3. Remember to discard all heavy metal wastes and organic wastes in the appropriate container. Your instructor will provide specific instructions for today's lab. Lab #7 Data and Calculations

Name ______Section ______

TRIAL 1 TRIAL2 Mass of Empty Beaker ______Mass of Beaker Plus Iron ______Mass of Iron Used ______Moles of Iron Used ______Mass of Beaker Plus Copper ______Mass of Copper Formed ______Moles of Copper Formed ______Ratio: Moles of Cu : Moles of Fe (Divide moles of Cu by moles of Fe) ______

Calculation Work Lab #7 Results

1. From your data, which equation (1) or (2) gives the correct stoichiometry for this reaction? Explain your answer.

2. What evidence indicates that a chemical reaction has occurred?

3. State two reasons why you may not recover the theoretical amount of copper in this experiment. Lab #7 Prestudy

Copper can form two possible cations, cuprous (Cu+1) and cupric (Cu+2). When solid copper is reacted with a silver nitrate solution, two reactions are possible, as shown in the following equations:

a. AgNO3 (aq) + Cu(s) ! Ag(s) + CuNO3 (aq)

Ag+1(aq) + Cu(s) ! Ag(s) + Cu+1(aq)

b. 2AgNO3 (aq) + Cu(s) ! 2Ag(s) + Cu(NO3)2 (aq)

2Ag+1(aq) + Cu(s) ! 2Ag(s) + Cu+2(aq)

1.(3 points) How many grams of metallic silver can form from 4.613 g of copper metal according to equation (a)?

2.(3 points) How many grams of metallic silver can form from 4.613 g of copper metal according to equation (b)?

3.(4 points) A student reacts 4.613 grams of copper with a solution containing excess silver nitrate and recovers 6.715 g of silver metal. Which reaction, (a) or (b), most likely occurred in his experiment? Explain your answer completely.