Exothermic metal displacement reactions

A piece of zinc placed in blue copper sulfate solution in a glass beaker, with a dark coating of copper resulting from the reaction that takes place

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Try this class experiment to explore what happens when different metals are added to a copper(II) sulfate solution. Includes kit list and safety instructions.

In this practical, students add powdered or finely-divided metals to a copper(II) sulfate solution and measure the temperature rises.

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