The Decomposition of Copper Carbonate

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The Decomposition of Copper Carbonate –

Planning Coursework

Aim

Our project is to find out what products are formed when copper carbonate decomposes.  Copper has 2 oxides, Cu2O and CuO.  We are told that one of the following two equations are correct:


Equation 1 (Eq
n1): 2 CuCO3 (s)  Cu2O (s) + 2 CO2 (g) + ½ O2 (g)

Equation 2 (Eq
n2): CuCO3 (s)  CuO (s) + CO2 (g)

Calculations

I have to find out which of the two are correct by experimentation.  By looking at the equations, I can see that gas is given out. Collecting this gas will be a good way to find out which equation is correct.  I will collect the gas in a 100cm3 gas syringe.  Therefore I want to be collecting about 80cm3 of gas per amount of copper carbonate.

Eqn1                Ratio                copper carbonate        :         gas

                                                2        :        2 + ½

                                                1        :        1.25         

Eqn2                Ratio                copper carbonate        :        gas

                                                1        :        1                

Join now!

Above states that 2 ½ moles of gas are produced in Eqn1.  I know that 1 mole of gas occupies 24000cm3 in standard room temperature and pressure.  I have stated that I want to collect about 80cm3.  This means that I wasn’t to collect 80/24000 moles of gas.  This is equal to 0.00333…. (recurring) moles of gas.  Out of the 0.0033 moles of gas collected,

  2    of them have to be moles of CO2 and   0.5    of them are moles of 02

  1. 2.5

So in Eqn1 we want   2    x 0.0033 moles ...

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