Chemistry Lab writing Discussion

Oxidation-Reduction Activity Series

Peter Jeschofnig, Ph.D.

Version 42-0186-00-01

Lab Report Assistant

This document is not meant to be a substitute for a formal laboratory report. The Lab Report Assistant is simply a summary of the experiment’s questions, diagrams if needed, and data tables that should be addressed in a formal lab report. The intent is to facilitate students’ writing of lab reports by providing this information in an editable file which can be sent to an instructor.

Data Table: Oxidation-Reduction
	Reactions
Mg in Na2SO4 →	Bubbles (eventually)
Zn in MgSO4 →	None
Pb in Zn(NO3)2 →	None
Pb in FeCl3 →	None
Fe in CuSO4 →	Rust

I also tried putting

Pb in MGSO4 - None

Zn in Zn(NO3)2 - None

Zn in FeCl3 - None

Mg in FeCl3 – None

Zn in CuSO4 - None

Questions

A. Based on your observations make an activity series of the metals used. List them in such a way that the most active metal is on the left and the least active metal is on the right. Remember, sodium and copper are metals, too.

- I feel like the Fe in the CuSO4 made the quickest and most notable reaction (rust). Second was the Mg in the Na2SO4 - bubbles

I can’t really determine an order. I would say that the Iron is most reactive, followed by Mg…then the other 3 where equal.

Fe – > Mg -> Zn -> Pb

B. Suppose you inserted a piece of copper into a solution of nickel chloride and observed no reaction. Then if you inserted a piece of iron into the solution of nickel chloride a nickel deposit formed on the bottom of the well in the well plate. Where does nickel fit into your activity series?

The chemical reactions for the preceding question B are: Cu (s) + NiCl2 (aq) à no reaction

Fe (s) + NiCl2 (aq) à 2 Ni (s) + Fe Cl2 (aq)

NI would fall 3rd in my line up

C. Suppose you inserted a piece of an unknown metal into a solution of zinc (II) nitrate and observed no reaction. Then if you inserted the unknown piece of the metal into the solution of iron (III) chloride a deposit formed on the bottom of the well in the well plate. Where does the unknown metal fit into your activity series?

It’s tough to say since we don’t have much to go on with the other three metals. I found the Pb did not react with anything so most

Likely it’s the least reactive.

For the reaction (Fe (s) + NiCl2 (aq) à 2 Ni (s) + Fe Cl2 (aq) identify:

1. The oxidation number of Ni (s)

0

2. The oxidation number of Fe in the FeCl2 (aq)

+2

3. The oxidation number of Cl in the FeCl2 (aq)

-1

4. The oxidation number of Fe (s)

0

5. The oxidation number of Ni in the NiCl2 (aq)

+2

6. The oxidation number of Cl in the NiCl2 (aq)

-1

7. The element that is oxidized and the element that is reduced

Fe is oxidized

Ni is reduced

8. The oxidizing agent and the reducing agent

Fe is the reducing agent

Ni is the oxidizing agent