Laboratory Report on Copper Recycling: Experimental Procedures and Analysis

The primary objective of this experiment was to explore the recyclability of copper through a series of chemical reactions. Despite theoretical expectations that the amount of copper should remain constant throughout the reactions, practical factors such as filtration, decanting, and incomplete reactions may alter the final yield. The experiment involved oxidation-reduction reactions, specifically decomposition and displacement, crucial processes in the extraction and recycling of elements.

Materials and Methods:

1. Copper Wire Preparation: Copper wires with a mass of 0.50g were obtained and placed in a 250 mL beaker.
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2. Nitric Acid Reaction: Under the hood, 4.0mL of 16M nitric acid (HNO₃) was added to dissolve the copper wires. The beaker was swirled occasionally until no fumes were produced.
3. Distillation and Sodium Hydroxide Addition: Distilled water was added to the half-filled beaker. Subsequently, 30mL of 6M sodium hydroxide (NaOH) was added to the reaction mixture, and the mixture was boiled with boiling chips.
4. Filtration: The boiled mixture was filtered using filter paper, separating the solid copper product from the liquid.
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5. Sulfuric Acid and Zinc Addition: The filtrate was dissolved by adding 15mL of 6M sulfuric acid (H₂SO₄). A 2g sheet of zinc metal was added, initiating a displacement reaction. The reaction mixture was placed under the hood until the zinc metal completely reacted.
6. Gas Evaporation and Cooling: The reaction mixture was heated until no gas was being produced. After cooling to room temperature, the mixture was decanted after washing with 10mL methanol and 10mL acetone.
7. Drying: The solid product was completely dried using a water bath.
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Calculations and Formulas:

1. Percentage Yield Calculation: Percentage Yield=(Actual YieldTheoretical Yield)×100Percentage Yield=(Theoretical YieldActual Yield​)×100 In this experiment, the actual yield was obtained by weighing the dried copper product, and the theoretical yield was calculated based on the initial mass of copper wires.

Results:

1. Initial Mass of Copper Wires: 0.50g
2. Mass of Copper Product Obtained: (to be measured)
3. Theoretical Yield Calculation: Theoretical Yield=Initial Mass of Copper Wires×(Molar Mass of CopperMolar Mass of Cu(NO₃)₂)Theoretical Yield=Initial Mass of Copper Wires×(Molar Mass of Cu(NO₃)₂Molar Mass of Copper​) (Using the molar mass of copper and copper(II) nitrate)

Discussion: The experiment involved oxidation-reduction reactions, starting with the dissolution of copper in nitric acid. This reaction can be represented as follows: Cu(s)+4HNO₃(aq)→Cu(NO₃)₂(aq)+2NO₂(g)+2H₂O(l)Cu(s)+4HNO₃(aq)→Cu(NO₃)₂(aq)+2NO₂(g)+2H₂O(l) Here, copper is oxidized from 0 to +2+2 oxidation state, and nitrogen is reduced from +5+5 to +4+4 and +2+2.

The subsequent addition of sodium hydroxide results in the formation of copper hydroxide, which is further dissolved in sulfuric acid to produce copper sulfate: Cu(OH)₂(s)+2H₂SO₄(aq)→CuSO₄(aq)+4H₂O(l)Cu(OH)₂(s)+2H₂SO₄(aq)→CuSO₄(aq)+4H₂O(l) The zinc metal, when added, displaces copper from copper sulfate in a redox reaction: Zn(s)+CuSO₄(aq)→ZnSO₄(aq)+Cu(s)Zn(s)+CuSO₄(aq)→ZnSO₄(aq)+Cu(s)

The percentage yield was found to be 94%, indicating the efficiency of the experimental procedure. This high yield suggests that the reactions proceeded with minimal side reactions or losses during filtration and decanting.

The experiment demonstrated the recyclability of copper through a series of oxidation-reduction reactions. The high percentage yield indicates the success of the experimental procedure. The understanding of these chemical processes is crucial for the efficient extraction and recycling of elements, contributing to both scientific and industrial advancements.
Upon reaction with nitric acid, solid copper underwent a chemical transformation, resulting in a blue solution of aqueous cupric nitrate, water, and the emission of nitrogen oxide, a brown and toxic gas. This reaction combines elements of a single displacement reaction and a decomposition reaction, and it can be represented as follows:

Upon reaction with nitric acid, solid copper underwent a chemical transformation, resulting in a blue solution of aqueous cupric nitrate, water, and the emission of nitrogen oxide, a brown and toxic gas. This reaction combines elements of a single displacement reaction and a decomposition reaction, and it can be represented as follows: Cu (s) + 4HNO3(aq)→Cu(NO3)2(aq)+2NO2(g)+2H2O(l)Cu (s) + 4HNO3​(aq)→Cu(NO3​)2​(aq)+2NO2​(g)+2H2​O(l)

The cupric nitrate solution then underwent a double displacement reaction with aqueous sodium hydroxide, producing blue cupric hydroxide and aqueous sodium nitrate: Cu(NO3)2(aq)+2NaOH(aq)→Cu(OH)2(s)+2NaNO3(aq)Cu(NO3​)2​(aq)+2NaOH(aq)→Cu(OH)2​(s)+2NaNO3​(aq)

The resulting mixture of copper hydroxide and sodium nitrate was heated, leading to the formation of copper oxide (a black precipitate) and water through a decomposition reaction: Cu(OH)2(s)→CuO(s)+H2O(l)Cu(OH)2​(s)→CuO(s)+H2​O(l)

The filtrate containing copper oxide (CuO) was then subjected to a double displacement reaction with sulfuric acid, resulting in a blue mixture of copper sulfate and water: CuO(s)+H2SO4(aq)→CuSO4(aq)+H2O(l)CuO(s)+H2​SO4​(aq)→CuSO4​(aq)+H2​O(l)

Subsequently, a 2g zinc metal was introduced into the copper sulfate and water mixture, undergoing a single displacement reaction that produced copper and zinc sulfate: CuSO4(aq)+Zn(s)→Cu(s)+ZnSO4(aq)CuSO4​(aq)+Zn(s)→Cu(s)+ZnSO4​(aq)

After the copper was cooled to room temperature, washed with methanol, decanted, washed with acetone, decanted again, and dried using a water bath, the pre-weighed 70.00g beaker containing the recovered copper was weighed. The mass of the copper and beaker together was determined to be 70.47g. The mass of the recovered copper was calculated by subtracting the mass of the beaker from the combined mass of the beaker and the recovered copper.

The percent yield was then calculated as the ratio of the actual yield (mass of the recovered copper) to the theoretical yield (initial mass of the copper wire), multiplied by 100.