Suppose you have 3.00 g of powdered zinc metal, 3.00g of powdered silver metal and 500.0 mL of a 0.2 M copper(II) nitrate solution. (a) Which metal will react with the copper(II) nitrate solution?

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Identify the metals involved in the reaction: zinc (Zn) and silver (Ag).

Write the balanced chemical equations for the possible reactions of each metal with copper(II) nitrate (Cu(NO_3)_2).

For zinc: Zn + Cu(NO_3)_2 \rightarrow Zn(NO_3)_2 + Cu. Zinc can displace copper from the solution because it is more reactive.

For silver: Ag + Cu(NO_3)_2 \rightarrow No reaction. Silver is less reactive than copper and cannot displace it from the solution.

Conclude that zinc will react with the copper(II) nitrate solution, while silver will not.

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Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

Reactivity of Metals

The reactivity of metals is determined by their ability to lose electrons and form positive ions. In a displacement reaction, a more reactive metal can displace a less reactive metal from its compound. Understanding the reactivity series of metals helps predict which metal will react with a given solution.

Displacement Reactions

Displacement reactions occur when a more reactive element displaces a less reactive element from a compound. In this scenario, zinc and silver are compared to copper(II) ions in the solution. The metal that is higher in the reactivity series will replace the copper ions, leading to the formation of a new compound.

Molarity and Stoichiometry

Molarity is a measure of concentration, defined as moles of solute per liter of solution. In this question, the concentration of copper(II) nitrate is given, which is essential for calculating the number of moles available for reaction. Stoichiometry allows us to relate the amounts of reactants and products in a chemical reaction, helping to determine the limiting reactant.

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