Question

Iron metal reacts with a solution of copper(II) sulfate in a single- displacement reaction. Write a balanced equation to describe this reaction.

Short answer

The balanced chemical equation for the reaction is \( Fe + CuSO4 \rightarrow FeSO4 + Cu \)

Step-by-step solution

Write the Unbalanced Chemical Equation

Begin by writing down the chemical symbols of the reactants and products. Reactants are iron (Fe) and copper sulfate (CuSO4) which yield iron sulfate (FeSO4) and copper (Cu). Therefore, \[ Fe + CuSO4 \rightarrow FeSO4 + Cu \] is the unbalanced chemical equation.

Balance the Equation

To balance the equation, make sure there's the same number of atoms for each element on both sides of the equation. In this case, the equation is already balanced as the number of atoms for each element is the same on both sides. Therefore, the balanced equation is \[ Fe + CuSO4 \rightarrow FeSO4 + Cu \]

Key concepts

Single-Displacement Reaction

A single-displacement reaction, sometimes called a substitution or replacement reaction, involves one element being displaced from a compound by another element. In this type of reaction, a more reactive element takes the place of a less reactive element in a compound. The general format can be represented by the equation:
\[ A + BC \rightarrow AC + B \]
In the given exercise, iron (Fe) displaces copper (Cu) from copper sulfate (CuSO₄). It's important to understand that not all metals can displace others from their compounds; the metal has to be more reactive, according to the reactivity series. The reactivity series is a list of metals arranged in order of decreasing reactivity.

Chemical Symbols

In chemistry, chemical symbols are abbreviations for elements and are always listed in the periodic table. Each element has a unique one or two-letter symbol that represents it, such as Fe for iron and Cu for copper. These symbols are used to write chemical equations that represent chemical reactions. Symbols can also show the state of matters, such as (s) for solid, (l) for liquid, (g) for gas, and (aq) for aqueous, dissolved in water. These symbols are essential to understand because they form the language through which chemists communicate recipes for chemical formulas and equations.

Reactants and Products

In a chemical equation, the reactants are the substances that undergo a chemical change and are listed on the left side of the equation, while the products are new substances formed and are listed on the right side. For the reaction between iron and copper(II) sulfate, iron and copper(II) sulfate are the reactants, and iron(II) sulfate and copper are the products. It's crucial to correctly identify the reactants and products to understand the changes that occur during the reaction, and also to set the stage for balancing the chemical equation.

Balancing Equations

To obey the Law of Conservation of Mass, chemical equations must be balanced, meaning they have the same number of atoms for each element on both sides of the equation. Balancing equations is like solving a puzzle, ensuring that no atoms are lost or gained in the process. The balanced equation for the reaction in our exercise is:\[ Fe + CuSO_4 \rightarrow FeSO_4 + Cu \]
Here the number of iron, copper, sulfur, and oxygen atoms is equal on both the reactant and product sides, indicating a balanced equation. Balancing chemical equations requires practice and sometimes trial and error, but it's foundational for understanding chemical reactions and stoichiometry.