The Empirical Formula of a Copper Oxide Lab Report
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Steven Leung
9/19/06
Lab Report
The Empirical Formula of a Copper Oxide
Purpose:
To convert an unknown copper oxide to copper (Cu) metal using natural gas to provide a reducing environment as shown below:
Cu O (s) + CH (g) ЃРCu (s) + Co (g) + H O (g)
From the mass difference between the unknown copper oxide and the Cu metal generated at the completion of the reaction and the molar mass of Cu and oxygen, the empirical formula of the original copper oxide can be calculated.
Materials:
ЃgCopper oxideЃh (1.0 g)
Bunsen burner
Large test tube
Ring stand
Clamp (with no rubber on the prongs)
Two hole stopper with inlet and outlet tubes
Rubber tubing
Procedures: (in lab notebook)
Raw data:
The copper oxide changed colors during the experimentation. It began as a black powder and and slowly changed to orange as it was heated. It also changed in texture, clumping together into a hard solid rather than a powder.
Mass Measurements (in grams)
Test tube
44.9078
Copper Oxide
Calculated Data:
The calculated difference between the test tube containing copper oxide and the test tube after the heating is .164 grams.
Test tube with copper oxide
45.904
Test tube with copper after burn
45.740
Mass Measurements (in grams)
Analysis/interpreting data/results:
The difference betweent the unknown