Question

Copper sulphate is commercially made from copper scrape by :
A. Heating with sodium sulphate
B. Heating with sulphur
C. Action of dilute ${{H}_{2}}S{{O}_{4}}$ and air
D. Dissolving in hot Conc. ${{H}_{2}}S{{O}_{4}}$

Answer 1

Copper sulphate is a blue crystalline solid and the anhydrous form is white in color. Copper sulphate has nauseous taste. The molecular formula of copper sulphate is $CuS{{O}_{4}}$ . Copper sulphate is soluble in water.

Complete step by step answer:
- In the question it is given that copper is commercially made from copper scrap.
- We have to find out what chemical is used to get copper sulphate from copper scrap.
- We know that copper is metal and it will lose its electrons very easily.
- Means copper should react with an oxidizing reagent due to its metallic property.
- Thus Copper scrap has to be treated with an oxidizing agent to get copper out of copper scrap.
- The treatment of copper scrap is as follows to get copper sulphate.
$Cu+{{H}_{2}}S{{O}_{4}}+\frac{1}{2}{{O}_{2}}\to CuS{{O}_{4}}+{{H}_{2}}O$

- In the above chemical equation copper reacts with dilute sulphuric acid (oxidizing agent) in presence of air and forms copper sulphate as the product.
- Therefore copper sulphate is commercially made from copper scrape by the action of dilute ${{H}_{2}}S{{O}_{4}}$ and air.
So, the correct answer is “Option C”.

Note: Copper sulphate pentahydrate is also known as blue vitriol. Copper sulphate does not liberate hydrogen while treating with sulphuric acid because in electrochemical series copper lies below hydrogen. So, the reaction of copper with sulphuric acid does not liberate hydrogen gas as the product.