piece of magnesium disappear in cucl2

Question

I want to ask what we can conclude from disappearing a piece of magnesium in CuCl2 experiment besides when we increase the amount of CuCl2 the temperature would increase. I want it for the experiment conclusions and results in report.

Answer 1

Think about the lab that you did. I'm guessing it was a lab on oxidation and reduction. If you had a solid piece of magnesium (Mg) and some Cu²⁺ in solution as CuCl₂, what do you think might happen? Look up the reduction potentials for both Mg and Cu (Mg²⁺ and Cu²⁺). I think you'll see that Cu²⁺ will be reduced before Mg²⁺, so that means in the situation you have, Cu²⁺ will be reduced to Cu(s) and Mg(s) will be oxidized to Mg²⁺ and go into solution. So the solid Mg will disappear. But you should also see solid copper Cu(s) appear.

Mg(s) + Cu²⁺(aq) ==> Mg²⁺(aq) + Cu(s)