Chemistry of Copper

Chemical change occurs whenever chemical bonds are broken and/or new chemical bonds are formed. During the chemical reaction, one or more substances are produced. Chemical reactions can be classified in several ways. In this experiment, you will be exploring the different types of chemical reactions. Copper is a metal belonging to group IB in the periodic table. It is relatively inert and does not readily oxidize in air. It reacts with concentrated nitric acid forming Cu 2+ ion. You will observe several chemical properties of copper through a series of reactions shown below:

Cu CuSO4 CuO Cu(NO3)2 Cu(OH)2

Safety
Concentrated nitric acid is very corrosive both to the skin and to the eyes. In addition, sodium hydroxide, sulfuric acid and hydrochloric acid are also corrosive. Wash with water immediately if any of these compounds comes into contact with the skin. If you spill any on yourself or on the table, immediately flood the area with water and call your instructor. Wear goggles at all times during this experiment.

Procedure
A. Reaction of Copper Metal Weigh approximately 0.02-g sample of Cu metal and place in a 4-in. test tube. Perform this next step in the fume hood because of the evolution of a toxic gas. Add concentrated HNO 3 dropwise ( 10 drops) to the copper sample until no further evidence of chemical reaction is observed. DO NOT ADD AN EXCESS! (Caution: Nitric acid stains the skin!) At this point the Cu metal has completely reacted. Take note of the color of the solution. (Caution: Do not inhale the evolved gas.) What is the color of the gas? Add 10 drops of distilled water. Be sure to write down all your observations. Show the resulting solution to your instructor for approval and save the solution for Part B. B. Preparation of Copper (II) Hydroxide Shake the test tube while slowly adding 10 drops of 6M NaOH. (Caution: Do not let NaOH touch the skin!) Record any change in color of the solution and describe the precipitate. Add 10 more drops of 6 M NaOH. Centrifuge the solution for 30 seconds.

Chemistry of Copper

Test for complete precipitation by adding 2-3 more drops of 6M NaOH to the supernatant. If additional precipitate forms, add 4-5 more drops of NaOH and centrifuge. Repeat the test until no further formation of Cu(OH)2 occurs. The solution should appear colorless. Decant and discard the supernatant from the test tube. Wash precipitate with 1 mL distilled water. Centrifuge again. Decant and discard the wash water. Obtain your instructors approval before proceeding to part C. C. Conversion of Copper (II) Hydroxide to Copper (II) Oxide Slowly heat the test tube containing the precipitate from part B. The precipitate should change color. You need not heat the contents to dryness. Avoid projection of your copper compound by not holding the test tube over the direct flame for a prolonged period of time. Obtain your instructors approval before proceeding to Part D. D. Dissolution of Copper(II) Oxide To the precipitate in the test tube from Part C, add 6M H 2SO4 dropwise ( 20 drops). Shake the test tube until the precipitate dissolves. (Caution: Do not let sulfuric acid touch the skin!) Take note of the color of the resulting solution. Obtain your instructors approval before proceeding to part E. E. Reduction of Cu(II) ions to metallic copper. To the solution from Part D, gradually add with shaking zinc dust in minute amounts. (Caution: Shake until no further reaction is observed before adding more zinc to make the solution colorless. Record your observations. Test for the completeness of the reaction by adding a few drops of the solution into a test tube containing 1 mL 6M NH3. If a colored solution is obtained, add more zinc into the solution with shaking. Repeat the process until a colorless solution is obtained. Decant and discard the supernate. Wash the precipitate twice using 2-mL portions of water. Decant and discard the wash water after each washing. Transfer the precipitate in a small beaker. Add 10 mL water and 2 mL 6M HCl slowly and stir the contents until no more change is observed. (Caution: Do not let hydrochloric acid touch the skin!) Record your observations. Dispose of your solution into the waste jar.

Data and Results

Part A B C D E Write the pertinent chemical equations for each part. Observations Instructors Approval

Modern Experiments for General Chemistry

Discussion
Discuss the chemical reactions that take place in this experiment. Classify the reactions according to type.

Questions
1. 2. What is the gas that is evolved in Part A? When the NaOH solution is added, Cu(OH) 2 does not precipitate immediately. What are the other components of the reaction mixture from Part A that reacts with NaOH before the copper ion? Explain. Why must HCl be added to the solid after the reaction with zinc dust is completed? A 0.0217 g sample copper metal is recycled through the series of reactions in this experiment. In part E, 0.0183 g sample of copper is isolated. What is the percent recovery of the copper metal? What volume, in drops, of concentrated HNO3 is required to react with 0.0191 g of Cu metal? Assume 20 drops per milliliter.

3. 4.

5.

Reference:
Beran, J.A., Laboratory Manual for Principles of General Chemistry, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, c. 2000.

Chemistry of Copper