Practical Science - #1 - Aluminum and Copper Sulfate with Salt as Catalyst

As I understand it, this is a double replacement reaction where the copper and aluminum switch places so that the aluminum goes into solution and elemental copper is precipitated out. Table salt (NaCl) is used to remove the passivation layer on the aluminum and speed up the reaction.

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• copper
• sulfate
• aluminum
• chemistry
• reaction
• redox
• metals
• metal
• hydrogen
• sale
• sodium
• chlorine
• chloride
• water

[GTHaroFITBMX]

nope cuso4 + nacl = ? and cucl3 cucl3 + al == alcl3 and cu

[uxa1]

@LiquidChem for me, its electroplating with copper

[LiquidChem]

what is the point of this

[iron21cesnt]

@iron21cesnt I think the gas generated is water vapor due to the high reactivity of aluminum

[iron21cesnt]

CuSO4+2NaCl --> CuCl2+Na2SO4 (first reaction)

2Al+3CuCl2 --> 2AlCl3+3Cu

2AlCl3+3CuSO4 -->Al2(SO4)3+3CuCl2

3CuCl2 goes to upper reaction and it goes on and on

the replacement reaction happens twice

[jzh101]

We did a similar reaction in my chem lab, im trying to get some write up down for that lab over the break. I'm stuck, however, on balancing the equation between this reaction. We used HCl as a catalyst. so how does the HCl or table salt in your case come into the balancing reaction? :

CuSO4(aq) + Al (s) ---> Cu(s) + AlSO4(aq) (where does the HCl or table salt or any catalyst for that matter go into this equation??)

any help is appreciated thks!

[asfananum]

in my chemistry class we first heated up the water, then added the copper (II) sulfate... as that was heating up we dipped the aluminum into HCL for about 3 min, dipped it into some distilled water very quickly and then added it to the heated solution

[jrv01007]

Single replacement:

2Al + 3CuCl2 --> 2AlCl3 + 3Cu

[vmelkon]

You can also speed up the reaction with some acid such as HCl.

[machinefan123]

Single replacement