Copper Reaction

Trajano, Joan Celestine J.

Tulay, Wendell A.

Bachelor of Science in Biology Major in Medical Biology
College of Science
De La Salle University Dasmarias
Dasmarias, Cavite, Philippines.


ABSTRACT


The copper reaction was demonstrated by determining a balance chemical equation to evaluate a chemical
reaction. Aside from showing the reactants and products, it also gives the number of moles of each
substance used or produces. It was also demonstrated by getting the percentage yield of the actual and
theoretical yield of the chemical reaction of copper used. As impure copper is dissolve in Nitric acid and
finally recovered. Each of the reactions proceeds to completion by removal of one of the components of the
solution.


INTRODUCTION

Most chemical syntheses involve separation and purification of the desired product from unwanted
side products. Common methods of separation include filtration, sedimentation, extraction, decantation,
and sublimation. This experiment will use chemical reactions to separate copper from copper compounds.
Oxidation-reduction (redox) reactions and metathesis (single-replacement) reactions will be used. The
objective of the experiment is to recover as much of the original copper as possible. The quantitative
measure of success in this experiment is percent yield, which is the ratio of recovered mass to initial mass.
A list of the reactions occurring in this experiment is shown below:
Cu(s) + 4HNO3(aq) Cu(NO3)2(aq) + 2NO2(g) + 2H2O (l)
Cu(NO3)2(aq) + 2NaOH (aq) Cu(OH)2(s) + 2NaNO3(aq)
Cu(OH)2(s) CuO(s) + H2O(g)
CuO(s) + H2SO4(aq) CuSO4(aq) + H2O(l)
CuSO4(aq) + Zn(s) ZnSO4(aq) + Cu(s)
Synthesis chemical reactions, like Copper reactions demonstrate the concepts of theoretical,
actual, and percentage yields. It was assumed that after the series of chemical reactions in the experiment,
the mass of Copper recovered will be close to the value of the mass of Copper wire used prior to subjecting
it to any chemical reaction.
This experiment utilizes two very flammable drying agents, methanol and acetone. Open flames
must not be used in the presence of either of these substances. This experiment also uses different acids
and must therefore be handled with care.
MATERIALS AND METHODS

APPARATUS CHEMICALS

250ml beaker Water bath Cu wire 16 M HNO
3

10ml graduated cylinder Funnel Acetone 30-mesh Zn metal
100ml graduated cylinder Stirring rod Methanol 6.0 M NaOH
Boiling chips Iron ring and stand Distilled H
2
O 6.0 M H
2
SO
4

Bunsen burner Wire gauze
Evaporating dish Analytical balance

A 250ml beaker was first weighed in the analytical balance. Pieces of Cu wire were then put in the
pre-weighed beaker and were weighed again in the balance. The beaker was put into the fume hood and
4ml of 16 M HNO
3
was added through the use of a graduated cylinder. After the Cu wires already dissolved,
the beaker was half filled with distilled H
2
O.

30 ml of 6M NaOH was measured and was added to the reaction mixture. It was then stirred and
several pieces boiling chip was placed in the mixture before it was heated in the Bunsen burner with
constant stirring until it boiled. While the mixture was hot, it was poured in a beaker using a funnel with
filtered paper. The black precipitate that was collected using the filter paper was then washed with 15ml of
6.0 M H
2
SO
4
inside a beaker until the precipitate was dissolved and therefore can no longer be observed.

A piece of Zn metal was added into the reaction inside the fume hood. After the Zn metal was
dissolved and small particles are formed, it was then heated until no more gas evolved. When the mixture
was cooled, the solid particles were then collected using decantation. 10 ml of methanol was measured and
was added to the beaker with the formed solid particles. Afterward, the methanol was removed using
decantation and 10 ml of acetone was added to the solid particles and was decanted also.

The beaker was heated over a water bath until the solids were totally dry. The recovered solid
particles (copper) and the beaker were weighed using the analytical balance and the percentage yield was
computed using the collected data.

A percent yield calculation is used to determine how much of a product you made compared with
how much youre expected to make. This is done by first doing a stoichiometry problem to calculate how
much reactant you should have formed, then divide the amount of product you actually formed by the
amount of product you should have formed and multiply by 100 to get a percent.

DATA AND RESULTS
1. Initial mass of Cu wire 1.0022g
2. Mass of recovered Cu and beaker 110.4995g
3. Mass of beaker 110.2890g
4. Mass of recovered Cu 0.2105g
5. Percentage Yield 0.2100g
Percentage Yield = Mass of Actual Yield (recovered Cu) x 100
Mass of Theoretical Yield (Cu wire)
= 0.2105g x 100
1.0022g
= 21%

6. Describe the reaction of Copper with Nitric acid.

When copper was added with Nitric acid, there was a formation of a dark green liquid and an
evolution of reddish brown gas was observed.

7. Describe the reaction of aqueous copper nitrate with sodium hydroxide.

A blue colored solution was formed and a pale blue paste in cloud like appearance was
produced.
8. Describe what happens when an aqueous solution of copper (II) hydroxide is heated.

A black precipitate was formed when the solution was heated.

9. Describe what happens when copper (II) oxide is dissolved in 6M sulfuric acid.

The black precipitate was dissolved in the solution and it turned into a bluish-green solution.

10. Describe what happens when Zinc metal is added to an aqueous solution of copper (II) sulfate.

When Zinc metal was added to an aqueous solution of copper (II) sulfate, a gas evolved and
red colored particles were formed in the bottom. The solution turned into red and the Zinc metal was
dissolved.
Cu
(s)
+ 4HNO
3(aq)
Cu(NO
3
)
2(aq)
+ 2NO
2(g)
+ 2H
2
O
(l)
The addition of nitric acid caused the Cu metal to slowly dissolve. A red-brown gas was produced.
The nitric acid liquid changed color from colorless to a blue-green color.
Inside the fume hood, when the small pieces of copper inside the beaker were added with Nitric
acid, a bluish green colored solution was formed. This bluish green colored liquid is Copper nitrate.
Alongside the formation of Copper nitrate, Nitrogen dioxide, a reddish brown gas evolved. Nitrogen dioxide
is a toxic gas such that the addition of Nitric acid was done under the fume hood. The bluish green color of
Copper nitrate is characteristic of Copper (II) ion in water solution.

Cu(NO
3
)
2(aq)
+ 2NaOH
(aq)
Cu(OH)
2(s)
+ 2NaNO
3(aq)

The addition of sodium hydroxide solution with the copper nitrate solution produced a bright blue
colored solid (gel-like) material.
Copper nitrate that was formed from the previous reaction was added with Sodium hydroxide
resulting to the formation of Copper hydroxide and Sodium nitrate. Copper hydroxide is characterized to be
the pale blue gelatinous solid that was formed. The Sodium nitrate on the other hand is the aqueous
solution.

Cu(OH)
2(s)
CuO
(s)
+ H
2
O
(l)

When the beaker containing the Cu (II) hydroxide and water was heated, the blue solid changed
color into a black fine powder. Upon cooling, the black powder could be separated from the water by
decantation.
The Copper hydroxide that was formed from the previous reaction was placed above a Bunsen
burner for it to be heated and continually stirred. After heating, the black colored precipitate was the result.
Water in liquid form was also formed during the heating of Copper hydroxide. In order to filter the Copper
oxide from the water, a filtration set up using the filter paper was used. 100 ml of very hot distilled water was
used in order to filter the Copper oxide. Copper oxide was collected on the filter paper.

CuO
(s)
+ H
2
SO
4(aq)
CuSO
4(aq)
+ H
2
O
(l)

After having filtered the copper oxide, it was then placed on a 250ml beaker where it was dissolved
using Sulfuric acid. When the acid was added on it, Copper sulfate in aqueous form and water were formed.
It was observable that the formation of a bluish colored Copper sulfate can be noted.

CuSO
4(aq)
+ Zn
(s)
ZnSO
4(aq)
+ Cu
(s)

Copper sulfate was added with a piece of Zinc metal. When the Zinc metal was dissolved, solid
particles were formed on the bottom of the beaker. These particles are the retrieved Copper and the liquid
formed was Zinc sulfate. After the Zinc was totally dissolved, solid particulates were collected using
decantation and the Zinc sulfate was removed. The retrieved copper was washed with Methanol and then
decanted followed by acetone. Methanol and acetone washing was done in order to remove the remaining
non-copper particles formed in the chemical reaction. After acetone was decanted from the retrieved
copper, the beaker containing Copper particles was heated using a water bath to dry the Cu and evaporate
the acetone that was left. It was then weighed using the analytical balance.


INSIGHTS
Considering our percent yield of only 21%, possible human error on our part has happened. The
students may have been a little tactless on handling some materials and performing some of the
procedures. It can also be caused by the excess reactants not being fully washed off or reacted away at any
other point. When the students are decanting, some sample was lost by pouring because it is difficult to
have all CuO to settle on the bottom. Some particles are left too in the filtering paper.


REFERENCE
(1) Figueroa, L.V. and Samonte, J.L. 2007. Laboratory Manual for General Chemistry. 3
rd
Ed.
Manila: C & E Publishing, Inc.
(2) http://www.scribd.com/doc/21268144/Chemical-Reactions-of-Copper-Lab
(3) http://web.lemoyne.edu/~giunta/chm151L/copper.html#reactions