Stoichiometry: Reaction of Iron with Copper(II) Sulfate

Abstract

Students use stoichiometry to deduce the appropriate equation for the reaction between solid metallic iron and a solution of copper(II) sulfate. This reaction produces solid metallic copper, which is precipitated as a finely divided red powder in a single displacement reaction. During the reaction, atoms from a solid metal exchange with different metal ions in a salt solution. The iron produced could be either Fe2+ or Fe3+. Students use stoichiometric principles to determine which of these ions is formed in the reaction. An excess of copper(II) sulfate (to make sure that all the iron is reacted) will be added to a known mass of iron. The metallic copper produced will be weighed. The masses of the iron and copper metals will be used to calculate the moles of iron used and the moles of copper formed. This lesson plan was developed and written by Tamara Fitzgarrald at Bradley University.