Iron + Copper Sulphate → Copper + Iron Sulphate
Fe + CuSO4 → Cu + FeSO4
56g + 160g → 64g + 152g
216g 216g
Fair Test:
To make this investigation a fair test I made sure that the same apparatus was used as they can affect how much iron is displaced in 3 minutes. Also to make it a fair test, I will make sure that only the amount of iron added will be changed. I will weigh the iron filings and make sure it is accurate to the nearest milligram. When the newly formed copper is drying, I will try to make sure that none of the copper is lost or spilt over, as this will affect results when weighing at the end.
Results of Investigation
Diagram:
Method:
- First I collected up all the apparatus that I needed for the investigation and then set them up so that I could carry out the investigation.
- I then poured 20cm³ of Copper Sulphate into a beaker.
- After that I placed a sheet of filter paper on to the scales and then set it to zero.
- Then I measured out 0.5g of Iron fillings on to the filter paper.
- When I had the essential amount of Iron Fillings, I poured them into the beaker with Copper Sulphate in and started timing with the stopwatch simultaneously.
- Whilst the stopwatch was running, I stirred the iron filings slightly with the stirring rod, and also folded the filter paper so that it was ready to be fitted into the filter funnel.
- When 3 minutes had gone, I stopped the stopwatch and then poured the every thing from the beaker into the filter funnel and allowed the copper sulphate to filter out.
- Once the Copper Sulphate had filtered out, I took out the filter paper and allowed it to dry on the windowsill.
- I then repeated the investigation from step 2 twice more, but instead I used 0.75g and 1.0g.
* The whole experiment was completed twice to get reliable results.
From the experiment I observed that after 3 minutes, the Iron Filings that I had put into the Copper Sulphate had become coated by Copper.
Conclusion
Once the experiment was over and the recently formed copper had dried, I noticed a few patterns in my results.
The aim of the investigation was to see how the mass of iron filings affects the mass of copper displaced from copper sulphate.
From the results table and graph I found that when I increase the amount of iron filings, the amount of copper displaced also increased.
Altogether I tested three different masses of iron filings. 0.5g was the smallest mass of iron filings added to the copper sulphate. At the end of the investigation once it had been displaced it weighed at an average of 0.56g, 0.06g more heavier than before. This is because 1 mole of copper is heavier than 1 mole of iron. The same reason also applies for the heaviest mass of iron were 1.00g was the heaviest mass used in the investigation. At the end of the investigation once it had been displaced, it weighed at an average of 1.10g, 0.10g more than before. I repeated all three masses twice to be sure that they were reliable results and in all cases the heavier the mass of iron, the higher the mass of copper displaced. I had stated this in my prediction.
Evaluation
I felt that I was precise and accurate in all of my recordings. I measured out the 20cm³ of Copper Sulphate accurately by measuring when it just reached the line 20cm³ line on the measuring cylinder.
I accurately weighed the iron filings by weighing them on a sensitive scale and making sure that they were precise to the nearest mg.
I accurately measured the time that had elapsed to the nearest second with the stopwatch.
Not enough different masses of iron filings were used for a good graph. I should of used the mass 1.25g as well, but it was not known then that it was necessary and required.
The results that I did collect were not the most reliable in the world. Even though I repeated the experiment twice the results for the 0.5g of iron filings showed rather different outcomes. The 1st time showed 0.58g, but the 2nd time showed 0.53g. This probably happened as some of the copper, which was drying, was probably knocked off the filtering paper. There was nothing I could have done about this, as I was not able to look after them.
There were not really any improvements I could have done to the actual experiment, as it was a relatively simple procedure. It was not really possible to make any improvements, unless I had done something to ruin my results, like add too much iron filings, etc. The only thing I could of done was to look after my drying copper, but this was not possible.
There are a couple of things that I could do for extra work. One is to find out if more copper is displaced from the copper sulphate if the concentration of it is higher.
Another experiment that I could do would be to change the salt solution that I used.
I could have also used another metal of the reactivity series.
