The student decided to do another experiment with his leftover copper(ii) sulfate (cuso4) solution. he divided the solution up into two beakers. he dropped an iron nail (fe(s)) into one beaker. he dropped a silver rod (ag(s)) into the other. write the chemical equation of any reactions he saw.

CuSO4 + Fe -> FeSO4 + Cu

Explanation:

This reaction is a classic example of a redox reaction. I won't go in too deep, but the basic thing is that electrons from the Fe atom go to the Cu2+ ion. Therefore, Fe becomes an ion, and Cu - an electroneutral atom:

Fe + Cu2+ -> Fe2+ + Cu.

Silver is not a very reactive metal and it does not give up its electrons to Cu.

chemical changes occur when a substance combines with another to form a new substance, called chemical synthesis or, alternatively, chemical decomposition into two or more different substances. these processes are called chemical reactions and, in general, are not reversible except by further chemical reactions. some reactions produce heat and are called exothermic reactions and others may require heat to enable the reaction to occur, which are called endothermic reactions. understanding chemical changes is a major part of the science of chemistry.