Foils! Copper Loses to Aluminum Lab
Introduction:
In this experiment, aluminum will be undergoing a single replacement
reaction with copper (II) chloride to form the products aluminum chloride and
copper solid. Because the copper (II) chloride is a solid at room temperature, we
will have to create an aqueous solution of copper (II) chloride in order to get the
reaction to occur.
Procedure:
Part 1:
1. Put on your spiffy lab apparel.
2. Assemble necessary lab equipment: 100mL beaker, graduated cylinder,
and a stirring rod.
3. In the beaker, measure exactly 3.50 g of the solid copper (II) chloride.
4. Using the graduated cylinder, pour 40.00 mL of water into the beaker.
Stir to completely dissolve the copper (II) chloride.
5. Use a balance and a calculator to calculate 0.05 moles of Aluminum foil.
Record the mass of the foil you used to two decimal places.
6. Stir the solution carefully as you add the aluminum foil. Continue to stir
as the reaction takes place.
7. Observe the reaction closely, being sure to note any temperature, color,
or texture changes.
Part 2:
1. Make two more solutions of aqueous copper (II) chloride.
2. Test the reactions that result when you place 2 new metals (other than
aluminum) in each of the copper solutions. Record your observations.
SPECIAL CLEAN-UP PROCEDURES:
Decant (that means pour only the liquid) down the drain. Scoop all of
the solid products onto a paper towel and throw into the garbage can.
DO NOT PUT SOLID COPPER DOWN THE DRAIN!
JUST LIKE ZINC, IT DOES NOT GO IN THE SINK!
Background:
Explain the law of conservation of matter, and explain how to balance a
chemical equation.
Describe how to predict the products of a chemical reaction.
Questions:
1. Write a balanced chemical equation for the three reactions you observed
in this lab. If nothing happened, write “no reaction” after the yields sign.
2. Compare and contrast the three reactions you observed in this lab
(ex: aluminum with copper chloride vs. lead with copper chloride).
Hypothesize an explanation for why these differences existed.
3. Find out about something called an activity series using the internet or
your text book.
a. What is an activity series used for?
b. Use an activity series to explain why some reactions occurred and
some did not.