Lab 6- Cycle of copper reactions

What glassware and Equipment is needed for this expirement

• 250mL beaker

• Glass stir rod

• Porcelain dish (for final copper collection)

• 100mL beaker (pre weighed for final mass)

• Hot plate

What are the chemicals for this experiment?

• Provided Cu(II) solution

• 15 mL of 3.0M NaOH

• 200mL of Hot DI water (for washing the CuO)

• 7mL of 6.0M H2SO4

• 1.3 g of Zn metal

• 10mL of 6M HCl (for disolving leftover Zn)

• DI water - several 5mL measurements  for washing the cu)

• 5mL Methanol -(for the final rinse)

How do preform step 1- CU (II) —> Copper Hydroxide

• pour the provided Cu (II) solution into a 250mL beaker

• While stirring with a glass rod add 15mL of 3.0M NaOH

• Observe the formation of a blue Copper hydroxide precipitate and write any observations

How do you preform step 2- Copper Hydroxide —> Copper Oxide

• Heat the copper hydroxide precipitate from step 1 on a hot plate set to 250-300 while constantly stirring

• Continue stirring until the precipitate turns black (CuO)

• Allow the copper to settle

• Washing steps:

• decant excess liquid (remove the water at the surface with a pipet make sure to not loose solid)

• Add 200mL of hot DI water allow that to settle then decant again

• Record that the decanting process removes impurities from the Cu

How do you preform step 3- CuO—> CuSO4?

• Add 7mL of 6.0M H2SO4 to the CuO from step 2 

• The black solid should dissolve and turn into a blue CuSO4 solution

• Move it back to the fume hood

How do you preform step 4 CuSO4→ Cu

• In the hood add 1.3g Zn

• Stirr until the blue color disapears → copper metal forms

• Remove Excess Zn if needed- If excess Zn remains add 10mL of 6M HCl and warm gently on the hot plate until the H2 gas stops forming, decant again.

How do you wash and dry the copper product?

• Transfer the solid copper to a porcelain dish using a scoopula,

• rinse the beaker with methanol or acetone

• then decant the extra liquid with 5mL of methanol or DI water

• Put the porcelain dish on the hot plate set to 100 degrees C to dry and remove moisture.

• Record observations of the copper color

• Transfer the dried copper into a pre weighed 100mL beaker

• Record the mass recovered