Copper Carbonate Lab
Decomposing Copper Carbonate
Mass of Crucible (g) Mass of CuCo3 added (g) Mass of Crucible + Copper Oxide (g) Mass of CuO produced (g) 0.00 0.25 0.50 0.75 1.00 1.25
What happens to the mass of the copper carbonate when it is heated? Give a conclusion, which describes why the mass of copper carbonate may have changed during your experiment.
When the copper carbonate is heated it decomposes forming copper oxide and carbon dioxide. The copper carbonate turns into a bright red while it is being heated. After the Bunsen burner has been turned off, the copper carbonate turns black, as it has formed CuO.
Metal carbonates such as calcium carbonate break down when heated strongly. This is called thermal decomposition.
Here are the equations for the thermal decomposition of calcium carbonate:
calcium carbonate calcium oxide + carbon dioxide
CaCO3 CaO + CO2
Other metal carbonates decompose in the same way.
What happens to the mass of CuO when the mass of CuCO3 is doubled?
The mass of CuO increases. If the mass of CuCO3 is doubled, the amount of CuO would be doubled as well and this is because the data shows us that the ratio of the equation is 1:1.
Use your results to calculate the number of moles of copper carbonate you started with and the number of moles of copper oxide you ended up with for each experiment.
CuCO3 – CuO + CO2
The reaction happens according to this equation. Use your results to calculate the number of moles of carbon dioxide produced in each experiment. Clearly show your working
Evaluation:
During my experiment, I found that the mass of copper carbonate decreases when it is heated. This is because when copper carbonate is heated, it produces carbon dioxide and as a gas, it excapes from the cruicible and into the surrounding air. This is why there is a decrease in mass.
Mass of Crucible (g) Mass of CuCo3 added (g) Mass of Crucible + Copper Oxide (g) Mass of CuO produced (g) 0.00 0.25 0.50 0.75 1.00 1.25
What happens to the mass of the copper carbonate when it is heated? Give a conclusion, which describes why the mass of copper carbonate may have changed during your experiment.
When the copper carbonate is heated it decomposes forming copper oxide and carbon dioxide. The copper carbonate turns into a bright red while it is being heated. After the Bunsen burner has been turned off, the copper carbonate turns black, as it has formed CuO.
Metal carbonates such as calcium carbonate break down when heated strongly. This is called thermal decomposition.
Here are the equations for the thermal decomposition of calcium carbonate:
calcium carbonate calcium oxide + carbon dioxide
CaCO3 CaO + CO2
Other metal carbonates decompose in the same way.
What happens to the mass of CuO when the mass of CuCO3 is doubled?
The mass of CuO increases. If the mass of CuCO3 is doubled, the amount of CuO would be doubled as well and this is because the data shows us that the ratio of the equation is 1:1.
Use your results to calculate the number of moles of copper carbonate you started with and the number of moles of copper oxide you ended up with for each experiment.
CuCO3 – CuO + CO2
The reaction happens according to this equation. Use your results to calculate the number of moles of carbon dioxide produced in each experiment. Clearly show your working
Evaluation:
During my experiment, I found that the mass of copper carbonate decreases when it is heated. This is because when copper carbonate is heated, it produces carbon dioxide and as a gas, it excapes from the cruicible and into the surrounding air. This is why there is a decrease in mass.