Required Practical 1: Making Soluble Salts

Question 1

What is the equipment needed in the practical?

Answer 1

-Beaker
-Gauze
-Tripod
-Heatproof mat
-Bunsen burner
-Spatula
-Metal oxide (copper oxide)
-Acid (dilute sulfuric acid)
-Glass rod

Question 2

What is the method in making a soluble salt by using an acid?

Answer 2

1) Start with a fixed volume of a dilute acid e.g. dilute sulfuric acid. This is our limiting reactant.
2) Gently heat the acid until almost boiling.
3) Use a spatula to add small amounts of a metal oxide e.g. Copper oxide to the acid.
4) Stir the solution with a glass rod. The solution will then turn blue like the colour of copper sulfate.
5) Continue adding copper oxide if the solution continues to be clear blue.
6) Stop adding copper oxide if some powder remains after stirring. At this point the reaction has stopped as all of the acid has reacted.
7) Now we use filtration to remove the unreacted copper oxide. Pour the copper oxide into the filter paper which all the copper sulfate solution will then be transferred into the conical flask.
8) Then place the solution in an evaporating basin. Heat gently over a beaker of boiling water. Heat until around half of the solution remains.
9) Leave the solution for 24 hours in a cool place for crystals to form.
10) Scrape crystals onto a paper towel and gently pat them dry. Now we have pure dry copper sulfate crystals.