Zn + CuSO4 → ZnSO4 + Cu
Zinc and copper(II) sulfate — balanced chemical equation, step by step.
Zinc displaces copper from solution — a textbook single-displacement and a basis for simple batteries.
How to balance Zn + CuSO4 = ZnSO4 + Cu
In a single-replacement reaction, one element displaces another from a compound. Balancing means choosing coefficients so that every element has the same number of atoms on both sides of the arrow — the Law of Conservation of Mass. Here is how it's done, step by step.
Step 1 — Write the unbalanced equation
Start with the correct formulas for every reactant and product:
Zn + CuSO4 = ZnSO4 + Cu
Step 2 — Count the atoms of each element
Counting the atoms on each side, every element already matches — so each coefficient is 1:
| Element | Reactants | Products | Equal? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zn | 1 | 1 | ✓ |
| Cu | 1 | 1 | ✓ |
| S | 1 | 1 | ✓ |
| O | 4 | 4 | ✓ |
Step 3 — Add the smallest whole-number coefficients
Adjust the coefficients in front of each formula until every element balances. The smallest whole-number coefficients are 1 Zn, 1 CuSO4, 1 ZnSO4, 1 Cu, giving:
Zn + CuSO4 = ZnSO4 + Cu
For a single-replacement reaction, balance the element being displaced first, then balance the spectator ions, and finish with any free element or hydrogen gas.
Step 4 — Verify the balance
Recount every element. Each one now matches on both sides:
| Element | Reactants | Products | Balanced |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zn | 1 | 1 | ✓ |
| Cu | 1 | 1 | ✓ |
| S | 1 | 1 | ✓ |
| O | 4 | 4 | ✓ |
All elements are balanced and the coefficients are the smallest whole numbers, so Zn + CuSO4 = ZnSO4 + Cu is the correct balanced equation.
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