Has anyone got a few minutes to help me?

[wiggy]

Hi im very very new to these forums - I joined because it looks like a pretty cool place - and interesting lol

 

Anyway I studying science and have about 23 hours to hand in all my coursework - im stuck on a question and if anyone can help that would be sooooo cool - cheers..

 

We are studying the production of copper - we produced a pure sample of it using malachite and carbon, now I have a question but dont understand it ---- Give a balanced equations in the production of copper from malachite copper (II) carbonate ---- thats the quesition but has lost me completely. If anyone can help that could be great - thanks xxx

[Cloud]

Do you know what the products of that reaction are apart from copper.

[Cloud]

OK - from my understanding its a simple thermal decomposition reaction ~

 

 

CuCO3(s) ---> CuO(s) + CO2(g)

(malachite) (copper Oxide) (carbon dioxide)

 

The equation is already balanced.

To obtain the copper - the copper oxide has to be reduced (by carbon)

 

Hope that helps

[wiggy]

Yeah that does - i think its because lack of sleep and cant quite string to words together let alone chemical equation - thanks alot x

[insane_alien]

its likely the copper oxide is reduced carbon monoxide and not plain old carbon. although i don' know if you would need to know about this. what level of chemistry is it you are studying at?

[wiggy]

Its only GCSE

 

Really quite easy - but I just dont quite understand this bit!!!!

[insane_alien]

GSCE right ok. think of what your puting in to the reaction.

 

CuO + C

 

and one of the products is Cu. the oxygen has to go over to the carbon since it is the reducing agent(it gets oxidised).

 

and from the combustion of carbon you get CO2. so balance the equations and you will have the answer.

 

<edit> just reread the opening post and this is in addition to clouds bit.

[woelen]

At the temperatures involved, the CuO reacts with carbon to form Cu and CO. The CO2, which comes from the CuCO3 can also react with C to form 2CO. At such high temperatures, C/CO2 is less stable than 2CO.

 

So, the net reaction can be CuCO3 + C --> Cu + CO + CO2, but it can also be CuCO3 + 2C --> Cu + 3CO

 

The actual thuth most likely is somewhere in between and both reactions probably occur simultaneously.