Hw q: Suppose you wanted to make a metal tank to hold copper sulfate solution...

Question

which of the following would be the best one to use? Why?

Aluminium, magnesium, lead, copper, tin, zinc, iron, silver

Answer 1

Simple Metal Reactivity series

K Na Ca Mg Al Zn Fe Ni Sn Pb H Cu Hg Ag Pt Au

Then you need a metal that is less reactive than copper (or else it will "push" it out from the solution). Then a cooper, silver should be fine

Answer 2

Some common metals in their reactivity orders(Standard Reduction Potentials Order) is :-

K Na Ca Mg Al Zn Fe Ni Sn Pb H  ::Cu::  Hg Ag Pt Au

To store solution of copper or any other you need a metal that is less reactive than copper (that means metals coming after copper in the given series) or else it will react and deposit Cu metal  and form its own solution.

This way you can do for any metal not only for Cu.

From ur options, i think Silver will go best.

I took time to answer your question, so please vote it as best in return ;)