Question

Which of the following reaction is possible

Heating Zinc Oxide with Magnesium or Copper

Answer 1

Part 1:

• When we heat Zinc Oxide with Magnesium it gives Magnesium Oxide and Zinc this happened because the activity/reactivity of Zinc is low as compared to Magnesium.

$$\begin{gathered} \mathbf{ZnO}\mathbf{}\mathbf{\left(}\mathbf{s}\mathbf{\right)}\mathbf{}\mathbf{+}\mathbf{}\mathbf{Mg}\mathbf{}\mathbf{\left(}\mathbf{s}\mathbf{\right)}\mathbf{}\stackrel{\mathbf{∆}}{\mathbf{\to }}\mathbf{}\mathbf{MgO}\mathbf{}\mathbf{\left(}\mathbf{s}\mathbf{\right)}\mathbf{}\mathbf{+}\mathbf{}\mathbf{Zn}\mathbf{}\mathbf{\left(}\mathbf{s}\mathbf{\right)} \\ \mathbf{Zinc}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{Magnesium}\mathbf{} \\ \mathbf{Oxide}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{Oxide} \end{gathered}$$

• Hence, the reaction is possible.

Part 2 :

• Whereas when we heat Zinc Oxide with Copper, no reaction will take place because the activity/reactivity of Copper is low as compared to Zinc.

$$\begin{gathered} \mathbf{ZnO}\mathbf{}\mathbf{\left(}\mathbf{s}\mathbf{\right)}\mathbf{}\mathbf{+}\mathbf{}\mathbf{Cu}\mathbf{}\mathbf{\left(}\mathbf{s}\mathbf{\right)}\mathbf{}\stackrel{\mathbf{∆}}{\mathbf{\to }}\mathbf{}\mathbf{No}\mathbf{}\mathbf{reaction} \\ \mathbf{Zinc}\mathbf{}\mathbf{Oxide} \end{gathered}$$

• Hence, the reaction is not possible.