Question

Which metallic container is suitable to store copper sulphate solution?

Answer 1

Hint :There are multiple metals that can be used to make containers which will be suitable to store copper sulphate solution. We can find them by analysing the electrochemical series. The metals lying higher up in the series than copper will displace copper from the copper sulphate solution and will be unsuitable to store the solution in it.

Complete Step By Step Answer:
Copper sulphate is an inorganic compound with the chemical formula $ CuS{O_4} $ . It is depicted Copper (II) sulphate as copper has a valency of $ + 2 $ in this solution. Copper can be displaced from its own solution by different metals. This happens by displacement reaction. A displacement reaction is a chemical reaction in which one element displaces another element from its solution.
For us to find out which metallic container could be suitable to store copper sulphate solution, we can use the electrochemical series. The electrochemical series is a series which represents an arrangement of various electrodes in the increasing order of their standard reduction potentials. Using the series we can predict the direction of displacement reactions. A metal which lies higher up in the series than another metal can displace the latter and take its place in the solution, meaning it can attack the latter metal. Taking zinc as an example, since it lies above copper in the series, it can displace it from its solution.
 $ Zn(s)\, + \,CuS{O_{4\,}}(aq)\, \to \,ZnS{O_4}(aq)\, + \,Cu(s) $
Hence containers made up of metals like Calcium, Magnesium, Zinc and Nickel et cetera are unsuitable for storage of Copper sulphate.
A suitable metallic container made up by Silver can be used to store copper sulphate solution as it does not attack copper and displace it from its salt solution.

Note :
We know that silver does not displace copper from its solution as it is less reactive than copper. It lies below copper in the electrochemical series. It is obvious that metals like Zinc, Magnesium and Calcium are more reactive than copper and can hence attack and displace it from its salt solution.