Question

When a strip of magnesium metal is placed in an aqueous solution of copper(II) nitrate, elemental copper coats the surface of the magnesium strip and aqueous magnesium nitrate forms.
1. As a reactant, what is the charge on copper?
2. As a product, what is the charge on copper?

Answer 1

Answer:

1. 2+ ($Cu^{2+}$).

2. 0 ($Cu^0$).

Explanation:

Hello,

In this case, the described chemical reaction is a redox reaction in fact, since the oxidation states of both magnesium and copper change as shown due to the displacement:

$Mg(s)+Cu(NO_3)_2(aq)\rightarrow Mg(NO_3)_2(aq)+Cu(s)$

Therefore:

1. Since copper is the cation in the copper (II) nitrate, the (II) means that its charge is 2+ ($Cu^{2+}$).

2. Since copper is alone, it means no electrons are being neither shared not given, its charge is 0 ($Cu^0$).

Best regards.