Redox Lab

Purpose: (put into lab book)

• The purpose of this lab is to rank different metals from the best to the worst reducing agents..

Background: (put into lab book)

• The more reactive the metal, the better it oxidizes. That means that it is better at reducing other elements. Therefore, the more reactive a metal is the better a reducing agent it is.

Materials (put in lab book)

• Read the procedure below and list all of the materials required to complete this lab. Do not forget to include the 3 metals and the 3 solutions.

Procedure: (summarize in lab book)

1. Place the spot plate on the piece of paper provided for you. The paper is like the data table, it tells you what to mix in each well of the spot plate. You will be mixing solid elements with solutions of ionic compounds.

2. For the metals (left side), drop one piece of each into the wells it corresponds to on paper. (For example, you will put one piece of copper into each of the wells it points to under each of the three solutions, except the copper(II) chloride, as it is crossed off on your data table).

3. Now fill each well with each of the solutions (along the top) that correspond to each well.

4. Wait 10 minutes and observe if a reaction has occurred. In the meantime, you can start on the conclusion.

5. After the 10 minutes, fill in the data table with NR for no reaction or R if there was a reaction.

Data: (put into lab book)

Click here if you're absent to see pictures from lab.

Conclusion: (complete in lab book)

1. For each reaction that occurred, copy the table below in your notebook and fill it in. (Three reactions occur, so copy this table 3 times!)

2. List the three metals you tested in order of best reducing agent to worst reducing agent. (Hint: reread your background)