Experiment: Separating copper from its oxides

Aim: To separate copper from its oxide ores

Materials: copper oxide, iron nail, dilute sulphuric acid, filter funnel, 2 beakers, stirring rod, filter paper, burner

Extracting copper from copper oxide

Method

1. Place a small amount of copper oxide in a beaker
2. Add about 20cm³ of dilute sulphuric acid
3. Warm the mixture over a burner, stirring until no more oxide will dissolve
4. Filter the mixture an collect the filtrate in a clean beaker
5. Stand an iron nail the solution for a few minutes

Results and Observations

• Copper oxide is black in colour
• The copper oxide dissolves into the sulphuric acid to form copper sulphate
• This can be demonstrated using the equation:
• \text{copper oxide+sulphuric acid}\rightarrow\text{copper sulphate+water}
• The copper sulphate solution is blue in colour
• The undissolved copper oxide is filtered off
• The iron nail displaces copper from the solution
• Copper particles are visible in the solution

Conclusion

• Copper oxide can be extracted from its ore by dissolving it in sulphuric acid
• And displacing it using copper or the electrolytic method

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