Question

When copper oxide is reacted with sulfuric acid, the acid is often gently heated. This is done in order to:

Answer 1

Heating sulfuric acid when reacting with copper oxide is done to increase the reaction rate, facilitating the dissolution of copper oxide and improving the efficiency of the reaction.

Step-by-step explanation:

When copper oxide is reacted with sulfuric acid, the acid is often gently heated to increase the reaction rate and facilitate the dissolution process. Heating the mixture allows the copper oxide to more readily react with the acid, forming copper sulfate and water. This is commonly practised in chemical reactions to improve efficiency and ensure a complete reaction when working with solids and liquids.

Answer 2

Copper oxide(solid) + Sulphuric Acid (aqueous)-> Copper Sulphate (aqueous)+ Water(liquid)

In equation form:

CuO +H2SO4 -> CuSO4 + H2O

The colour change you will see is black to blue as Copper oxide is usually found as a black powder. Upon the reaction with sulphuric acid it will change to a cyan blue.

If you heat the made solution of copper sulphate, the water will evaporate and you will be left with white anhydrous copper sulphate crystals.