Does copper react with sulfuric acid?

Copper and sulfuric acid will react?

The reaction of copper with sulfuric acid is a common problem in chemical experiments. As a common metal, copper is widely used in industry and laboratories. Sulfuric acid is a strong acid, which is widely used in various chemical reactions. Will copper react with sulfuric acid? This paper will analyze this problem in detail.

Copper and concentrated sulfuric acid reaction

We need to make it clear that copper and concentrated sulfuric acid will not react at room temperature. Copper is a metal with relatively stable chemical properties. When faced with concentrated sulfuric acid, it does not react as quickly as some other metals. Although the acidity of concentrated sulfuric acid is very strong, but in the absence of external heating, copper and concentrated sulfuric acid will not react chemically.

If the copper is heated to a certain temperature, the concentrated sulfuric acid will be reduced to sulfuric acid transport gas (SO₂), at which time the reaction will occur. This reaction is usually manifested by the reaction of copper with acid under the action of concentrated sulfuric acid, sulfur dioxide gas is released, and copper sulfate is formed on the surface of copper.

Copper with Dilute Sulfuric Acid Reaction

Unlike concentrated sulfuric acid, copper reacts with dilute sulfuric acid. Although copper reacts slowly with dilute sulfuric acid at room temperature, the reaction is accelerated under certain conditions, especially in the presence of an oxidant. The dissolution reaction of copper in dilute sulfuric acid produces a copper salt, usually copper sulfate (CuSO¾). The chemical equation of the reaction can be expressed:

[\text{Cu} \text{H}2\text{SO}4 \rightarrow \text{CuSO}4 \text{H}2]

the key point of this reaction is that the hydrogen ions in the sulfuric acid and the oxidant act to help the copper dissolve and form sulfate.

Why does copper and sulfuric acid react differently?

The difference in the reaction of copper with concentrated sulfuric acid and dilute sulfuric acid is mainly related to the concentration of sulfuric acid and the reaction conditions (such as temperature and the presence of oxidants). The strong acidity of concentrated sulfuric acid is mainly manifested by strong dehydration, while the concentration of hydrogen ions in dilute sulfuric acid is higher, which allows copper to more easily dissolve and react with sulfuric acid.

Copper and sulfuric acid reaction for industrial applications

The chemical principle of the reaction of copper with sulfuric acid is widely used in the metallurgical industry, especially in the extraction of copper. In the smelting of copper ore, sulfuric acid is often used to leach copper from copper ore, dissolve copper through acidic solution, and then separate pure copper. Copper sulfate also has important applications in agriculture as a fungicide.

Summary: Copper and sulfuric acid will react?

Whether copper and sulfuric acid will react, the answer to this question is that copper and concentrated sulfuric acid will not react at room temperature, but will react under heating or specific conditions. Copper reacts with dilute sulfuric acid to produce copper sulfate and hydrogen. Understanding the principles of these reactions is important not only for chemical research, but also for industrial applications.