Copper Foil

How does a Copper (II) Chloride and Aluminum foil lab relate to the real world?

I know that the aluminum dissolves in the solution but i don't quite know how that happens in the real world and or relates. Help? Please! and Thank you [:

This is a redox reaction (that means REDuction and OXidation). The aluminum dissolves and elemental copper precipitates because it has higher chemical potential. Basically what's happening is electrons are being transferred from solid aluminum into the copper ion, causing it to precipitate and causing the aluminum to dissolve.

What is that like? Well, basically it's like both halves of a battery. A similar thing happens with lead-acid batter like those used to start cars. When the battery is being used up, the electrons flow from solid lead, forming lead sulfate. When the battery is recharged, the electrons move back into the lead ion, reforming solid lead. In this experiment, both processes are occurring simultaneously.

Hope this helps.

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