When an iron nail is placed in a blue copper sulphate solution, the solution turns green and a reddish-brown coating forms on the nail. What type of reaction is this?
Answer and explanation
Correct answer: Displacement reaction
Iron is more reactive than copper. Therefore, iron displaces copper from copper sulphate and forms iron sulphate. The green solution is iron sulphate, \(\mathrm{FeSO_4}\), and the reddish-brown coating is copper metal. The reaction is \(\mathrm{Fe + CuSO_4 \rightarrow FeSO_4 + Cu}\). It is a displacement reaction because a more reactive metal replaces a less reactive metal from its compound. In a double displacement reaction, ions of two compounds exchange partners, which does not occur here.
Frequently asked questions
What is the correct answer to this question?
Displacement reaction
Why is this the correct answer?
Iron is more reactive than copper. Therefore, iron displaces copper from copper sulphate and forms iron sulphate. The green solution is iron sulphate, \(\mathrm{FeSO_4}\), and the reddish-brown coating is copper metal. The reaction is \(\mathrm{Fe + CuSO_4 \rightarrow FeSO_4 + Cu}\). It is a displacement reaction because a more reactive metal replaces a less reactive metal from its compound. In a double displacement reaction, ions of two compounds exchange partners, which does not occur here.
Which subject and chapter does this question cover?
This is a Class 10 Science question. Chapter: Chemical Substances – Nature and Behaviour. Topic: Chemical Reactions and Equations.
