ReacTion

[akcapr]

THe purpose of this post is pure curiosity and isnt bad/dangerous in any way.

 

When h2o2 is added to copper sulfate crystals it kinod starts to fizz. When heated a little bit with a lighter it reacts pretty violently. O2 gas is liberated i belive, and when they lighter held over the test tube it burns with a green tinge. what is this reaction? the left over is cuso4 crystals and blue liquid with possibly something else dissolved.

[BenSon]

The green flame is due to the prescence of copper ions.

Edit: Its not exactly a chemical reaction that causes the green flame but the atomic absorbance spectrum of the ion.

 

~Scott

[budullewraagh]

yeah, the h2o2 is very sensitive and decomposes, yielding H2O and O2.

 

what copper sulfate did you use? cupric or cupros? was it hydrated?

[akcapr]

It was hydrated, and it wasnt just h2o2 decomposing. It was longer and violenter than that. The stuff almost came out the tube.

[jdurg]

Doesn't surprise me at all. H2O2 can and will decompose quite quickly and quite violently if properly provoked. I've had small little amounts of it boil over onto the lab top when just a little bit of a contaminant got into there, for example.

[H2SO4]

many, many things cause the decomposition of H2O2. As for being violent, the most violent decomposition of H2O2 i've seen is when you add KMnO4 to conc. H2O2. It poofs up realy quickly realeasing much steam. This probaly would be interesting to make a small rocket out of or even a firecracker, although that would be more difficult.

[akcapr]

hmm it somehow didnt seem to be just decomposing, but i guess it was. Why would it do that with cuso4? it only did it after being initited by heating for few seconds under lame. then it spontaneously did it.

[BenSon]

The heat activated the decomposition. Thats why it appeared to do it spontaneously.

 

~Scott

[budullewraagh]

a number of things catalyze the decomposition of h2o2. plus energy doesnt hurt at all. peroxides are very unstable and readily decompose.

[akcapr]

alrighty. anyways someone else try it its pretty cool

[YT2095]

the catalytic breakdown of H2O2 is the reaction resoponsible for the thrust used in personal rocket belts, it`s really not the sort of compound to be "Playing" with, esp at greater concentrations!