Experiment 2

The Copper Cycle: The Science of Change in a Nutshell

I.

Abstract

The experiment is about how we can many percent can we recover in a

melted copper by adding chemicals like nitric acid and sodium hydroxide
and Mg metal in the sample. This is done by melting the copper by nitric
acid. Adding distilled water and sodium hydroxide. Centrifuge it then add
again sodium hydroxide and also sulfuric acid to the sample. Then melt
Mg metal to the sample then drying the copper metal recovered. Weigh it
then compute how many percent of copper were recovered.
II.

Introduction

Percent Recovery= (Mass of Copper Recovered/ Mass of Initial Copper) x

100%
III.

Objectives

IV.

Differentiate a physical change from chemical change

Distinguish the difference between copper in its elemental
form and its various combined form
Recognize that the change of state, the change in color,
the formation of a precipitate, or the evolution of heat is
associated with the chemical change
Practice the skills of observing, recording, inferring,
predicting, and interpreting results
Perform basic laboratory techniques such as weighing,
measuring volumes, decanting, heating of samples,
washing and gravity filtration

Materials and Methods

List of Chemicals:

Distilled water
(1 mL) 6M Sulfuric acid
(3
drops)
6M
Sodium
hydroxide

List of Apparatus:

1 test tube (centrifuge size)

150-mL beaker
Test tube holder
Hot plate

(<10 drops) 16M Nitric acid

(<0.0200 G) Copper metal
7 pcs. 1-cm polished Mg
strip

250-mL beaker
Wash bottle
Dropper
Stirring rod

Centrifuge

Watch glass

V.

Experimental Data
Table 1. Preparation of the Copper sample

Component

Mass, g

Beaker + copper sample

65.6750 g

Beaker

65.6541 g

Test tube

9.9801 g

Copper sample

0.02 g

Table 2. Observations on the different stages of the copper cycle.

S
t
a
g
e

Sample/Event

Comments and
observations

Copper

It is color brown and only

has small mass

Nitric acid solution

Yellowish white in color

Addition of nitric acid to

copper

From solid it became liquid.

From light brown to blue

green color

Sodium hydroxide solution

Clear solution

Addition of sodium hydroxide

to the mixture

The solution turned into

dark blue

Centrifugation of the sample

Separation between the

liquid content and solid
content

Heating of the mixture

It changes in color

Sulfuric acid solution

Clear solution

Addition of sulfuric acid to

the heated mixture

The mixture turned into

light blue again

Magnesium (Mg) metal

Silver in color

Addition of Mg metal to the

mixture

The Mg slowly melts in the

mixture

Aft
er
dryi
ng

Solid

Color black

Supernatant
liquid

Color dark blue

It emitted brown gas and

produce green liquid.

Addition of nitric acid to the

resulting solid

Procedure:

Stage 1: Copper metal to Copper (II) Nitrate

1. Weigh the beaker, test tube, copper sample and beaker + copper
sample. Then place the copper sample inside the test tube.
2. Hold the test tube with the test tube holder. Perform this step inside
fume hood. Using a dropper, add 5 drops of nitric acid.
3. Add 10 drops of distilled water.

Stage 2: Copper (II) Nitrate to Copper (II) Hydroxide

1. Stir the solution with glass rod. Slowly add 20 drops of sodium
hydroxide.
2. Rinse the stirring rod. Centrifuge the solution for 30 seconds.
3. Add 8 drops of sodium hydroxide and shake it. Centrifuge again for
30 seconds.

4. Repeat the test until no further formation of the Cu(OH) 2 occurs. The
solution should appear colorless and the precipitate should be light
blue.

Stage 3: Copper (II) Hydroxide to Copper (II) Oxide

1. Decant and discard the supernatant liquid from the test tube.
2. Heat the test tube using a hot water bath until all the precipitate
changes in color.
3. Take note of the changes in table 2.

Stage 4: Copper (II) Oxide to Copper (II) Sulfate

1. To the solid sample in the test tube from stage 3 add drops of
sulfuric acid with agitation until precipitate dissolves.
2. Take not of the appearance of the sample.

Stage 5: Copper (II) Sulfate to Copper metal

1. Add distilled water until the test tube is half full.

2. Get 7 strips of Mg metal. Add to the solution.
3. When Mg strip has reacted (disappeared), add the second strip and
so on until the blue has disappeared in the solution.
4. Add drops of sulfuric acid to dissolved excess Mg ribbon.
5. Centrifuge for 30 seconds, decant, and discard the supernatant
liquid.
6. Wash the precipitate with three portions of distilled water.
7. Rinse the stirring rod with distilled water in the test tube. Centrifuge,
decant and discard each washing.

Stage 6: Recovery of copper metal

1. Weigh and record the mass of a clean evaporating dish.

2. Transfer the remaining solid from the previous step to the
evaporating dish.
3. Prepare a boiling water bath and place the evaporating dish on top
of the bath so that the solid can be heated to dryness.
4. Remove the evaporating dish and its content from the bath and
allow it to cool to room temperature.
5. Record the mass of the evaporating dish with the product.
6. Calculate the mass of the record product as well as the percentage
of recovery.

Stage 7: Validation of the recovered product

1. Obtain small amount of the recovered product in watch glass.

2. In fume hood, add 1-2 drops of nitric acid solution and observe what
happened.

VI.
Analysis and Discussion

Based on the observed data a reaction on copper happened in every

stage of the experiment. Each stage of the experiment shows how
the copper reacted to the addition of different acid solutions and
metal (like Magnesium). The experiment also showed how we can
recover the dissolved copper with drying the solid particles from the
separation of the solid and liquid caused by centrifugation. The dry
copper we recovered emitted brown gas and produced a green
liquid with the addition of nitric acid solution to it.

VII.

Conclusion

The experiment shows us that using the nitric acid, sodium

hydroxide, sulfuric acid, centrifugation and strips of Mg metal we
can recover again the melted copper in the solution. The experiment
also shows that if the 7 strips of Mg metal were not all melted in the
solution there is a possibility of having a small amount of copper
recovery.

VIII.

Recommendation

Since not all strips of Mg metal were melted in the solution, the
recovery result might be different if all strips were melted in the
solution.

IX.

Appendix

Sample Computation:

Percentage of Recovery = (Mass of Copper recovered/Mass of Initial

Copper) x 100

0.0013 g x100%

= 0.065 x 100% =

6.5%

0.02 g

Weighing beaker & test tube

Adding of Nitric acid

distilled water

Adding

of

Adding
Centrifugation

of

Sodium

hydroxide

After
Heating the test tube

Centrifugation

Adding of Sufuric acid

of Mg

Melting

Weighing of evaporating dish

of copper recovered

Weighing

Adding of nitric acid to copper recovered