For this independent lab, I decided to do a very simple redox reaction. What I did was I dropped an iron nail into a beaker filled with a solution of copper sulfate. I would leave it unmoved inside the fume hood and see what happens after a couple of days.
Even after just a couple of minutes, everything inside the beaker had begun to change. The iron nail at the bottom of the beaker became thicker and browner. This was because the iron nail was being covered with copper powder from the copper sulfate. The copper sulfate solution also began to change from a blue to a green liquid. This was because it was turning into an iron sulfate solution.
After a few days, I came back to the breaker to see what had happened to the reaction. Everything about it had changed drastically. Instead of an iron nail, it looked like the ruins of the Titanic. The nail was absolutely covered in copper and the solution was fully green.
I decided to try and extract the copper and the iron nail out of the beaker. I took a magnet and used it to attract the iron nail from behind the glass. I slowly pushed the magnet up on the beaker with the nail following from the inside. When it reached the top, I was able to get the iron nail out. Unfortunately for me, the copper did not follow the nail's example because it stayed at the bottom of the beaker.
I solved this problem by getting another beaker with a funnel at the top. On the funnel, there was filter which was used the capture all the copper powder so it would not go inside the beaker. I slowly began pouring everything into the new beaker. The copper laid on top of the filter and the iron sulfate solution went inside the beaker.
I solved this problem by getting another beaker with a funnel at the top. On the funnel, there was filter which was used the capture all the copper powder so it would not go inside the beaker. I slowly began pouring everything into the new beaker. The copper laid on top of the filter and the iron sulfate solution went inside the beaker.
By doing this, I was able to get all the copper powder out and put it inside a little plastic vial.
I feel that the lab had turned out successfully because there was no way it could turn out unsuccessful. I also feel that I had gotten the results that I had expected to get. It was also really interesting to see what would happen after waiting a couple of days. The inside of the beaker reminded me of a ship wreckage on the bottom of the ocean floor.
What had happened here was a Redox (Oxidation-Reduction) Reaction, or more specifically a Single Displacement Reaction. What happens is that an element is replaced by another element in a compound. The copper from the copper sulfate solution replaces the iron from the iron nail.
Fe + CuSO4 -> Cu + FeSO4
I felt that I did get very desirable results. What had happened was what I expected and wanted to happen. I do not think there was anyway I could have got a result that was undesirable. The entire lab is just dropping an iron nail into a solution of copper sulfate.
For this lab, I was working by myself. I thought that I did very well in this lab. I was very efficient and understand everything that I was suppose to do.
I would not want to do this lab again. However, if I had to I would try to use different element that could do a similar reaction. It would be interesting if I could use something like silver nitrate.
My only takeaways from this lab is the experience of doing and learning a little about Redox Reaction. This lab helped further my interest in doing more chemical reactions and seeing what would happen.
What had happened here was a Redox (Oxidation-Reduction) Reaction, or more specifically a Single Displacement Reaction. What happens is that an element is replaced by another element in a compound. The copper from the copper sulfate solution replaces the iron from the iron nail.
Fe + CuSO4 -> Cu + FeSO4
I felt that I did get very desirable results. What had happened was what I expected and wanted to happen. I do not think there was anyway I could have got a result that was undesirable. The entire lab is just dropping an iron nail into a solution of copper sulfate.
For this lab, I was working by myself. I thought that I did very well in this lab. I was very efficient and understand everything that I was suppose to do.
I would not want to do this lab again. However, if I had to I would try to use different element that could do a similar reaction. It would be interesting if I could use something like silver nitrate.
My only takeaways from this lab is the experience of doing and learning a little about Redox Reaction. This lab helped further my interest in doing more chemical reactions and seeing what would happen.