Experiment to investigate the stoichiometry of the reaction between copper metal and aqueous silver ions.

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Copper/Silver Reaction (Stoichiometry)

Jason Jie Fong                                                                        Mr Raj

Partners:

Kevin

Aim

To investigate the stoichiometry of the reaction between copper metal and aqueous silver ions.

Cu (s) + Ag+ (aq)               Cu+2 (aq) + Ag (s)

Equipment

250 mL beaker

20 cm copper wire

Oven (for drying)

Sandpaper

Wash bottle

100g 0.1M silver nitrate solution

Watch glass

100 mL measuring cylinder (    1 mL)

Safety goggles

Rubber gloves

Weighing scales

Tweezers

Safety Precautions:

Wear safety goggles at all times.  Avoid contact with silver nitrate since it may stain skin and clothing.  

Method

  1. Weigh the 250 mL beaker.
  2. Put 100mL of the silver nitrate into the beaker.
  3. Wind a 20cm length of Cu wire into an open coil leaving a few cm to act as a handle.
  4. Weigh the Cu accurately and then suspend it in the beaker of AgNO3
  5. Observe the changes over the next five minutes, then cover the beaker with a watch glass, label the beaker and leave for three days.

Three days later

  1. Shake all crystals carefully from the coil and lift it from the solution with tweezers.
  2. Rinse any material remaining on the coil back to the beaker. Allow the coil to dry and reweigh it.
  3. Allow the silver crystals to settle in the beaker and carefully decant the blue solution.
  4. Add 10 mL of AgNO3 and stir gently to dissolve any copper flecks.
  5. Decant off the liquid over the settled crystals. Wash with 10 mL of distilled water and decant three more times.
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One Day Later

11) Dry the beaker and weigh when cool and dry.

Results:

Observations Day 1:

The copper was initially a pink color. When dropped into the solution, it turned a grey colour, and a yellow fuzzy coating formed around the copper.

Observations Day 4:

The yellow coating formed around the copper had managed to grow, and, upon close inspection, were seen as crystals, and now had a sandy-like color. The crystals had completely engulfed the copper remaining, and when the copper coil remains were found after moving the crystals, the coil had decreased in size. Slivers of ...

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