magnesium & copper sulphate

[Huderon]

what happens when you add magnesium to copper sulphate

[Teddio]

You get a displacement reaction. The more electropositive magnesium metal goes into solution forming magnesium ions and the copper ions receive two electrons and form metallic copper.

equation;

Magnesium + copper sulphate = magnesium sulphate + copper

[Huderon]

Thank you for that, though it wasn't quite the answer the boss lady was looking for ! She wanted to know what happened to the water (which I assume the copper sulphate is dissolved in). Next time she wants a question posted I think I'll enter it for her rather than letting her do it herself !

[Teddio]

Nothing happens to the water. The water is simply an ionising solvent which allows a transfer of electrons to take place between the magnesium metal and the positively charged copper ions.

[Huderon]

Thank you Teddio, I'll pass that on to her

[Coolstorybro]

Basicaly magnesium is more powerful than copper so it shoves copper out of the way and makes magnesium suphate + copper! simples!