[kevinkevin]

   I was wondering, I am at home and I am attempting to do a single replacement experiment.  I have a piece of solid copper wire submerged in an aqueous magnesium sulfate solution.  Looking at the balanced equations and with my general understanding of chemistry it makes sense to me that I will get solid magnesium and aqueous copper sulfate. The copper would be oxidized and become copper ions that will react with the sulfate ions and form aqueous copper sulfate and the magnesium ions from the magnesium sulfate will be reduced and form magnesium atoms that will come out of solution.  Am I on the right track here or am I very far off?  Thanks for any advice!  

[UG]

Magnesium is more reactive than copper so it 'prefers' to remain in it's ion form rather than forming magnesium metal. Refer to the reduction potentials if you are interested, magnesium ions will not be reduced. So don't expect there to be any solid magnesium on the piece of copper...