So on friday we mixed crystaline copper chloride stuffs with water to make a clear blue solution. We then put some aluminum into the solution. The solution began to heat up and there was a redish brown precipitate at the end. What caused the heat? What was boiling? How does the mass of the original aluminum and original copper chloride crystaline stuff compare with the mass of the red/brown power stuff (we strained the liquid out), and the mass of the dried up blue stuff?You\'re looking at a redox reaction. During this process, the copper ions in solution are reduced to form copper metal (visible as dust) and the aluminum metal is oxidized to form aluminum ions. This process is exothermic due to the relative electron affinities and the positions on the activity sequence such that copper has a greater affinity for electrons and is a stronger oxidizing agent. I think aluminum forms a 3+ ion and copper forms either a 1+ or a 2+ ion. Copper\'s molecular weight is 63g/mol and aluminums weight is 27 g/mol. You would see the weight decrease because aluminum weighs less than Copper and is replaced less frequently due to the higher charge when you figure out the ionics. Nothing was boiling.RE: Copper (II) Chloride Aluminum Lab! ? on a similar time as observing the filtrate of this lab, it incredibly is the Aluminum Chloride, what surely observations must be made approximately it? additionally, as quickly as you first pour the Copper (II) Chloride crystals into the water, is it heterogeneous or homogeneous? How approximately in case you enable the beaker sit down undisturbed for some...Other related question