When 6.5g of Zinc powder are added to 250cm of 0.1M copper 2 sulphate solution in a plastic container, 5.45kJ…

Question

When 6.5g of Zinc powder are added to 250cm of 0.1M copper 2 sulphate solution in a plastic container, 5.45kJ of heat is solve. I. Explain why a plastic container is used instead of a metallic one. Ii. Write an ionic equation for the reaction between zinc powder and copper 2 sulphate solution.

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I) Explain why a plastic container is used instead of a metallic one.

A plastic container is used because plastic is a poor conductor of heat (an insulator). This minimizes heat loss to the surroundings, ensuring that the measured heat change for the reaction is as accurate as possible. A metallic container, being a good conductor of heat, would allow significant heat loss, leading to inaccurate results.

II) Write an ionic equation for the reaction between zinc powder and copper(II) sulfate solution.

Write the full chemical equation.
Zinc reacts with copper(II) sulfate to form zinc sulfate and copper.
$\text{Zn}(\text{s}) + \text{CuSO}_4(\text{aq}) \longrightarrow \text{ZnSO}_4(\text{aq}) + \text{Cu}(\text{s})$
Write the complete ionic equation.
Separate the aqueous ionic compounds into their respective ions.
$\text{Zn}(\text{s}) + \text{Cu}^{2+}(\text{aq}) + \text{SO}_4^{2-}(\text{aq}) \longrightarrow \text{Zn}^{2+}(\text{aq}) + \text{SO}_4^{2-}(\text{aq}) + \text{Cu}(\text{s})$
Identify and cancel spectator ions.
The sulfate ion ( $\text{SO}_4^{2-}$ ) appears on both sides of the equation, so it is a spectator ion.
$\text{Zn}(\text{s}) + \text{Cu}^{2+}(\text{aq}) + \cancel{\text{SO}_4^{2-}(\text{aq})} \longrightarrow \text{Zn}^{2+}(\text{aq}) + \cancel{\text{SO}_4^{2-}(\text{aq})} + \text{Cu}(\text{s})$
Write the net ionic equation.
The remaining species form the net ionic equation.
$\boxed{\text{Zn}(\text{s}) + \text{Cu}^{2+}(\text{aq}) \longrightarrow \text{Zn}^{2+}(\text{aq}) + \text{Cu}(\text{s})}$

When 6.5g of Zinc powder are added to 250cm of 0.1M copper 2 sulphate solution in a plastic container, 5.45kJ of heat is solve. I. Explain why a plastic container is used instead of a metallic one. Ii. Write an ionic equation for the reaction between zinc powder and copper 2 sulphate solution.

Step-by-step solution

Write the full chemical equation.

Write the complete ionic equation.

Identify and cancel spectator ions.

Write the net ionic equation.

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