Question

Intead of using Copper Gluconate, you place the metals in aqueous cobalt chloride. On which metals (aluminum, tin, zinc, or iron) would you anticipate observing cobalt plating? Be sure to use the electrochemical series

Answer 1

In the electrochemical series, the position of aluminium, zinc and Iron is higher than the cobalt. It means that the reduction potential potential of aluminium, Zinc and Iron is higher than the reduction potential of Cobalt. Thus when these metals (Al, Zn, Fe) are placed in aqueous Cobalt chloride solution, the cobalt plating is observed. While the reduction potential of Tin metal is lower than the cobalt. Thus, Tin metal can not reduce the cobalt ion to its cabalt metal. Thus, on Tin metal cobalt plating is not observed.