AIM - To produce copper sulfate salt by reacting copper oxide with an acid.
EQUIPMENT - Copper oxide powder, dilute (0.5 mol L-1) Sulfuric Acid, 50mL Measuring Cylinder, Two 100 mL beakers, Bunsen Burner, Tripod, Gauze mat, Funnel, Filter paper, Spatula, Evaporating basin, stirring rod.
METHOD -
1 - Add 20mL of sulfuric Acid to a 100mL beaker. Heat the acid until it reaches 70degrees, then turn off the bunsen burner.
2 - Once heated, use a spatula to add pea-sized portions of copper oxide to the beaker. Stir the mixture for 30 seconds.
3 - Repeat step 2 until no more will dissolve, then allow the beaker to cool.
4 - Fold the filter paper and place it into the funnel. Place the filter funnel into the second beaker.
5 - Make sure the beaker is cool enough to hold at the top. The contents should still be hot.
6 - Gently swirl the contents of the beaker to mix, and then pour into the filter paper in the funnel. allow the liquid to filter through.
7 - Rinse the beaker you used to heat the mixture previously, and place it back on top of your tripod filled with 50-60mL of water.
8 - Place the evaporating basin on top of the beaker and carefully pour some of the solutions from the beaker into the evaporating basin.
9 - Gently heat the beaker until the solution in the evaporating basin has reduced by half.
10 - Leave the evaporating basin to cool. Once cool, move the evaporating basin to a warm place where it will not be disturbed (i.e. a window sill) And observe over the next few days. Blue copper sulfate crystals should form.
RESULTS -
Our crystals turned out better than the others as they formed in small shards of around 1cm made of small strands of crystal, this made them very fragile. They were a quite pale blue but it was still very visibly blue. I think that the reason ours turned out better than the others was because our bunsen burner was old and the flame would go out if we put it on full heat so we heated up our solution on a lower heat meaning our crystals grew slower but larger.
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