Question

I tried to figure this out with my standard reduction potentials sheet, and tried to find a sulfate ion for the first part, but I don't think that is the answer...any help is much appreciated

Answer 1

PartA Suppose you had a solution containing Pb2+ and Tl+ and wanted to convert the lead to solid metal but leave the Tl+ in solutin. What reducing agent(s) would be able to drive the reaction?

Answer 2

a thin metal sheet is compposed of Fe and Cobalt
You would like to recover the Cobalt What oxidizing agent(s) would allow you to ionize Fe to Fe2+ but not ionize Co?

Answer 3

The activity series of metals is
Tl
Co
Ni
Sn
Pb
Hydrogen

Any metal at the top will displace the ION of any metal BELOW it in the series. Therefore, Co, Ni, and Sn will displace Pb^+2 from solution and deposit Pb metal but will not displace an ion ABOVE it (so Tl^+ doesn't get displaced). Co is the closest to Tl; therefore, I would pick Ni or Sn. Try those with your voltage numbers and see if that works.

Answer 4

thank you--also, does this work for the Fe iron part of the question too?

Answer 5

The same procedure works for the Fe/Co part but I don't have iron in the series. You need to put Fe in at the proper spot. By the way, I think you interchanged the words ionize/oxidize. I think you wanted the word oxidize.