Inkuiri Berpandu

Tajuk : Siri Elektrokimia

Aim:
To construct electrochemical series based on the ability of a metal to displace another
metal from its salt solution.
Problem Statement:
How can the electrochemical series can be constructed based on the ability of of a
metal to displace another metal from its salt solution?
Hypothesis:
A metal which is located at a higher position in electrochemical series is able to
displace a metal located lower in electrochemical series.
Variables:
a) manipulated : metals and salts solution used
b) responding : precipitation of metal
c) fixed
: concentration of salt solution
Procedure:
1) 4 test tubes are filled with 5 cm3 of copper (II) sulphate solution respectively.
2) A piece of copper strip, lead strip, zinc strip and magnesium strip are clean
respectively with sand paper and added into each test tube.
3) The reaction are allowed to take place for 5 minutes.
4) Any change in the colour of the solution and any metals deposited are observed.
5) Steps 1-4 are repeated using lead (II) nitrate solution, zinc (II) nitrate and
magnesium nitrate solution respectively to replace copper (II) sulphate solution.
6) The results of the experiment are recorded in the table.
Metal
Solution
Copper
Lead
Zinc
Magnesium

CuSO4
X
/
/
/

Pb(NO3)2
X
X
/
/

Zn(NO3)2
X
X
X
/

Mg(NO3)2
X
X
X
X

Analysis data:
i) Metal which is more electropositive can displace the other metal which is less
electropositive from its salt solution.
ii)
Lead metal has displaced copper from copper (II) sulphate solution:
Pb + CuSO4 PbSO4 + Cu
iii)
The descending order of metals in ECS
Mg, Zn, Pb, Cu

Conclusion:
A metal which is located at a higher position in electrochemical series is able to
displace a metal located lower in electrochemical series. Hypothesis is accepted.