Can Cu metal reduce Mg ions? Why or why not?

Question

Im looking at the activity series.. but Im not getting this... HELP??? PLEASE??

Answer 1

copper metal is listed as "very unreactive". This means it is relatively stable as a metal, and relatively unstable as an ion.

Magnesium metal "reacts with acids" so it is more stable in ionic form than copper,and less stable as pure metal.

The goal of nature is to go from an net unstable form to a more stable form. (This is called reducing the free energy, or delta G of a system).

In order to use the activity series:

any metal below a given metal is less stable in ionic form and more stable as a pure metal.

This means that a pure metal can reduce the ions of any metals below it.

For example, aluminum metal can reduce manganese ions, zinc ions, and so on because they are below it.

Aluminum metal cannot reduce magnesium ions, calcium ions, and other metals above it.

I hope you can get it now. Ok I am sure what I typed is correct now. Good luck!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Activity_series

Answer 2

the electrode potential of copper is largely positive (0.34) whereas the electrode potential of magnesium is negative (-2.38). For this reason copper will always oxidize magnesium.