Today in chemistry we did an experiment on the reactivity series and single displacement reactionsAt one point we had to put aluminum into copper(II) sulphateAccording to the reactivity series, aluminum is more reactive than copper and should displace it from its ionic compoundBut after a very long time, there didn't appear to be any reactionWhat's going on?We used aluminum foil as our aluminum metal sample, so that may have something to do with it.
I think you should be alright because sometimes i bake stuff on foil and nothing has happened to me and Just like Joyce ksaid may food places that sell sandwiches, burgers, hot dogs, and more use foil and nothing happens to people who purchase it.
As you say aluminium is more reactive than copperBeing so reactive, it forms a coating of aluminium oxide at the surface of the metal which not only sticks well to the aluminium, but is impervious as wellThis happens quite naturally with oxygen from the airSo the copper sulfate can't get through to the Al metal to react! That's why it doesn't have the reaction you correctly predicted.
