To show that zinc is a more active metal than copper, the correct procedure is to:

Metals and Non-metals

Reactivity of Metals

Options

(1)add dilute nitric acid on strips of both the metals.

(2)observe transmission of heat through strips of zinc and copper.

(3)prepare solution of zinc sulphate and hang strip of copper into it.

(4)prepare solution of copper sulphate and hang strip of zinc into it.

Official Answer

Option 4 is the correct procedure. When a strip of zinc is placed in a blue copper sulphate ( $\text{CuSO}_4$ ) solution, a displacement reaction occurs because zinc is more reactive than copper. Zinc displaces copper to form colourless zinc sulphate ( $\text{ZnSO}_4$ ) and reddish-brown copper metal is deposited on the zinc strip: $\text{Zn(s)} + \text{CuSO}_4\text{(aq)} \rightarrow \text{ZnSO}_4\text{(aq)} + \text{Cu(s)}$

displacement reactioncopper sulphatezincreactivity seriesmore reactive

Marking Scheme

11 mark for identifying the correct option (Option 4) with the correct chemical reasoning of displacement reaction.

Hint

Recall the rule of displacement reactions: a more reactive metal can displace a less reactive metal from its salt solution. Look for the setup where a reaction actually takes place.

Quick Oral Answer

To show zinc is more reactive than copper, we place a zinc strip in a copper sulphate solution. The blue solution turns colourless as zinc displaces copper, forming zinc sulphate and depositing reddish-brown copper on the zinc strip.

Analysis & Explanation

According to Section 3.2.4 of the NCERT textbook, a more reactive metal displaces a less reactive metal from its salt solution. Since zinc ( $\text{Zn}$ ) lies above copper ( $\text{Cu}$ ) in the reactivity series (Table 3.2), zinc is more reactive.

Why Option 4 is correct: Placing a zinc strip in copper sulphate solution results in a visible displacement reaction where the blue colour of the solution fades and a reddish-brown deposit of copper forms on the zinc strip. This directly proves zinc is more reactive than copper.
Why Option 1 is incorrect: Dilute nitric acid ( $\text{HNO}_3$ ) is a strong oxidising agent and its reaction with metals is complex, often not evolving hydrogen gas but rather forming nitrogen oxides, making it unsuitable for a simple comparative activity demonstration.
Why Option 2 is incorrect: Heat transmission is a physical property (thermal conductivity) and does not determine or demonstrate chemical reactivity.
Why Option 3 is incorrect: Since copper is less reactive than zinc, hanging a copper strip in a zinc sulphate ( $\text{ZnSO}_4$ ) solution will result in no reaction, which does not actively demonstrate the displacement capability of zinc.

Common Mistakes

1Students might confuse the two salt solutions and choose Option 3, but copper cannot displace zinc because copper is less reactive.
2Some might confuse physical properties like thermal conductivity (Option 2) with chemical activity.

Interesting Facts

Aqua regia, a mixture of concentrated $\text{HCl}$ and concentrated $\text{HNO}_3$ in a 3:1 ratio, can dissolve gold and platinum, even though neither acid can do so individually.

Gold is so ductile that a 2 km long wire can be drawn from just 1 gram of gold!

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Frequently Asked Questions

How many marks does this question carry in CBSE Class 10 Science 2011?

This question carries 1 mark in the CBSE Class 10 Science 2011 examination.

Which chapter does this question come from in Science?

This question is from the chapter "Metals and Non-metals" in the CBSE Class 10 Science syllabus.

What topic does this question cover in Science?

This question covers the topic "Reactivity of Metals" from CBSE Class 10 Science.

What type of question is this in the CBSE Class 10 Science 2011 paper?

This is a MCQ question from Section B in the CBSE Class 10 Science 2011 paper.