This is an oldie but a goodie. This is a demonstration that I never get tired of.
Single Displacement Reactions
Demonstration: Reaction of copper with silver nitrate.
Apparatus: coil of copper wire, large test tube, silver nitrate solution (concentration is not crucial).
Directions:
1. Place copper wire into test tube of silver nitrate. Allow students to review the activity series and predict the products of the following reaction:
Cu + AgNO3 --> Ag + Cu(NO3)2
2. Observe the reaction (see photograph). Large, beautiful flakes of silver come out of solution and the clear, colourless silver nitrate is replaced by a blue solution of copper nitrate. This colour change is evidence that the copper has gone into the solution.
Demonstration: Reaction of copper with silver nitrate.
Apparatus: coil of copper wire, large test tube, silver nitrate solution (concentration is not crucial).
Directions:
1. Place copper wire into test tube of silver nitrate. Allow students to review the activity series and predict the products of the following reaction:
Cu + AgNO3 --> Ag + Cu(NO3)2
2. Observe the reaction (see photograph). Large, beautiful flakes of silver come out of solution and the clear, colourless silver nitrate is replaced by a blue solution of copper nitrate. This colour change is evidence that the copper has gone into the solution.
