1 / 13

ring stand

Explore the fascinating reaction between copper and nitric acid with this insightful demonstration based on Ira Remsen's experiment. Witness the transformation and learn about the chemical changes involved.

cynthiahill
Download Presentation

ring stand

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. ring stand round bottom flask pre-1982 penny clamp rubber stopper tubing cylinder Ira Remsen Demonstration Diagram

  2. To be read during the reaction: • While reading a textbook of chemistry I came upon the statement, "nitric acid acts upon copper." I was getting tired of reading such absurd stuff and I was determined to see what this meant. Copper was more or less familiar to me, for copper cents were then in use. I had seen a bottle marked nitric acid on a table in the doctor's office where I was then "doing time." I did not know its pecularities, but the spirit of adventure was upon me. Having nitric acid and copper, I had only to learn what the words "act upon" meant. The statement "nitric acid acts upon copper" would be more than mere words.

  3. To be read during the reaction: • All was still. In the interest of knowledge I was even willing to sacrifice one of the few copper cents then in my possession. I put one of them on the table, opened the bottle marked nitric acid, poured some of the liquid on the copper and prepared to make an observation. But what was this wonderful thing which I beheld? The cent was already changed and it was no small change either. A green-blue liquid foamed and fumed over the cent and over the table. The air in the neighborhood of the performance became colored dark red. A great colored cloud arose. This was disagreeable and suffocating. How should I stop this?

  4. To be read during the reaction: • I tried to get rid of the objectionable mess by picking it up and throwing it out of the window. I learned another fact. Nitric acid not only acts upon copper, but it acts upon fingers. The pain led to another unpremeditated experiment. I drew my fingers across my trousers and another fact was discovered. Nitric acid acts upon trousers. Taking everything into consideration, that was the most impressive experiment and relatively probably the most costly experiment I have ever performed... It was a revelation to me. It resulted in a desire on my part to learn more about that remarkable kind of action. Plainly, the only way to learn about it was to see its results, to experiment, to work in a laboratory.

  5. Equation for the reaction: Cu(s) + HNO3(aq)  NO2(g) + H2O(l) + Cu(NO3)2(aq) reactants  products Copper + nitric acid produces nitrogen + water + copper(II)nitrate dioxide things on the left  things on the right

  6. State symbols • “s” = solid • “l” = liquid • “g” = gas • “aq” = aqueous (dissolved in water)

  7. Energy changes • Because heat is released in this reaction it is called an “exothermic” reaction.

  8. Why does the penny have to be “old”? • Pre-1982 pennies are mostly copper. • Post-1982 pennies are made up of a zinc core surrounded by a thin layer of copper.

  9. Chemistry of Color • The NO2 gas produced is brown—ALL COLORED GASES ARE POISONOUS. • Copper ions tend to produce blue solutions.

  10. CHEMISTRY 8-27-07 Mon (per 6,7)WARM-UP: What were the two reactants in the Ira Remsen demonstration? Is this a chemical or physical change? Explain. TODAY’S GOALS:1) Turn in essay & signed contracts.2) Take Sec 1.1-1.2 quiz & safety quiz. 3) Notebook introduction. 4) Ira Remsen Demonstration notes.HW: Sec. 1.3—Read & take notes.

  11. What were the two reactants in the Ira Remsen demonstration? Copper (Cu) & nitric acid (HNO3)

More Related