RP 1 - Making Soluble Salts

• equipment

  A) beaker

  B) gauze

  C) tripod

  D) heatproof mat

  E) bunsen burner

  
• Reaction between solid copper oxide and dilute sulfuric acid

  1. Start with fixed vol of dilute sulfuric acid - limiting reactant

  2. Gently heat the acid until almost boiling

  3. Use a spatula to add small amounts of copper oxide to the acid and stir the solution with a glass rod

  4. The copper oxide will react and seem to disappear - solution turn blue colour (colour of copper sulfate)

  5. Continue adding copper oxide if the solution continues to be clear blue - stop adding copper oxide if some powder remains after stirring

  6. At this point reaction stopped - all of the acid has reacted

  7. Filter away unreacted copper oxide using filter funnel + filter paper
• making the actual crystals

  1. once we have filtered, we place the solution in an evaporating basin and heat gently over a beaker of boiling water
  2. heat until around half the solution remains
  3. leave solution for 24 hrs in cool place for crystals to form
  4. scrape crystals onto paper towel and gently pat them dry