Chemical Properties of Metals – Metals React with Solutions of Other Metal Salts

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Property 5: The reaction of metals with solutions of other metal salts

There is a particular pattern in which metals will react with solutions of other metal salts.

The more reactive metal will displace the less reactive metal from their compounds. For instance, if metal A is more reactive than metal B, then the reaction will be as follows:

Metal A + Salt solution of Metal B   →      Salt Solution of A + Metal B

This is also called a Displacement reaction. Let us consider a simple experiment to verify this. Things needed:

• Two test tubes
• Iron sulphate solution
• Copper sulphate solution
• Iron nail
• Copper wire

Procedure:

1. Take two test tubes. Fill one with the solution of iron sulphate, and another with the solution of copper sulphate.
2. Put the copper wire in a solution of iron sulphate, and the iron nail in a solution of copper sulphate for about half an hour and observe
3. Let it stay for a few more hours and observe.

Initial setup Observations and Conclusions:

1. Post half an hour: A reaction has taken place only in the test tube in which the iron nail is placed. The nail is coated with a pinkish brown deposit which is copper. This is not rust, it happens because iron displaces copper from the copper sulphate solutions.

2. Post few hours: A large amount of copper will be displaced from the copper sulphate solution and iron takes the place to form iron sulphate solution which is green in color.

𝑭𝒆(𝒔) + 𝑪𝒖𝑺𝑶𝟒(𝒂𝒒) → 𝑭𝒆𝑺𝑶𝟒(𝒂𝒒) + 𝑪𝒖(𝒔)

The second test tube will display no reaction. And that’s because iron is more reactive

than copper. Copper will not displace the iron here.

𝑪𝒖(𝒔) + 𝑭𝒆𝑺𝑶𝟒(𝒂𝒒) → 𝑵𝒐 𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏

This is how the reactivity order will look like:

Summary